Betrayl of the Black Lily
by SongSiren
Summary: The gang is ordered to guard two young demonesses, who just happen to be the last of their clan. What happens when one of them turned out to be someone who betrayed Kurama long ago? And what happens when they all find out that they are being betrayed agai
1. Prolouge

**A/N: Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry! That's is advanced for any mistakes I make. I try to leave out stuff I don't know about, but it's kinda hard. I haven't been able to watch YuYu in years, and I used to really love it. (I'm not allowed to buy manga) Anyway, I pretty much have the character's general personalities down, but Hiei's and Kurama's pasts are hard. So again I'm sorry!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own YuYu Hakusho.**

**Prologue: Betrayal**

"I don't understand what you see in that girl." Laughed his partner, still gloating over their recent stash of treasure.

"Heh, I like her mind. And at least I don't go after every woman from the village we just stole from." Yoko Kurama said pointedly, watching his partner checking his appearance in a golden vase. If Yoko were one to roll eyes, he would have done so.

Since he was not, he moved from their hideout and cut across the fields and up a small mountain. As he stood at its pointed peak, he frowned when he saw the deserted valley. 'The girl' as his partner so eloquently put it, was not there. It was strange; she always came when he sent a falcon to her. Shrugging it off, he went down and waited in the valley himself.

_**Thong!**_

Yoko turned around to see a still-vibrating dagger at his feet. He looked up to see a young demon standing in front of him, dressed completely in black. Her features were placid and unreadable. He frowned. Her long black hair had been cut and was billowing behind her in a short cloud. Her eyes were steely and cold.

"Yurika…"

"Leave this place with your life while you still can." She hissed.

The demon was surprised. This girl didn't hiss. This girl didn't have short hair. This girl didn't have cold eyes. This girl smiled and laughed at everything. This girl was supposed to wear the bright red colors of her clan. This girl was smart and strong. This girl… wasn't supposed to hate the thief demon.

"What…"

"Demon, I have given you your warning. If I ever see you again, I will kill you." Venom drenched her voice.

It didn't get much clearer than that. The fox demon turned his back and stalked out of the clearing. As he entered the forest, a poorly aimed dagger thudded into a tree a few feet away from him.



Yurika didn't return home that night. The demon disguised himself and knocked on her clan's front door. An old, graying man received him but did not allow him inside.

"I am looking for your daughter, Yurika."

The man's eyes widened. "I… know nobody by that name." he said shakily.

"You lie."

The demon slid a glance around. He stepped outside and closed the door behind him. "Yurika is dead to us. To speak of her is forbidden. Leave our village." The man ran inside the house a moment later.

_**Thong!**_

"Last chance, fox. Leave here or die." The new woman's, voice came from above.

Yoko stayed where he was. A moment later she was flying at him. Her sword was pointed to his chest. She stabbed at him a few times, but missed. Her sword sliced through the air and caught his arm.

He didn't need another warning. He turned around and ran out of the village, back to his hideout. Never to return.

**A/N: All right, is this okay? I promise the next chapter will be longer. Help is appreciated but flames aren't. Review!**


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N: um… yeah… hmm….**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yuyu Hakusho. If I did, I would know what freakin channel it was on.**

"Hey! Kurama! Hiei!"

"Wait Up!

"The bakas are here." Hiei muttered.

Kurama didn't respond, just turned around to wave at his friends. Kuwabara tripped Yusuke, who pulled him down with him. They began to argue for a few minutes, and then noticed that Kurama and Hiei weren't waiting for them. They caught up and…

"AHH!"

"Ow!"

"Hn."

"Korenma!" Yusuke yelled.

The toddler demi-god seemed not to have heard them and continued stamping.

"Koenma!" Yusuke yelled again.

More stamping. Kurama noticed the little vein sticking out of Koenma's head and that his hat covered his face in annoyance.

"KOE-" Kurama covered Yusuke's mouth with his hand.

"Koenma, did you have a mission for us?"

"Why yes, I did. You know, a little courtesy wouldn't kill you, Yusuke."

"Just get on with it."

"Right. Well, we have al little problem. Recently, the entire clan of dark demons, notice I don't say shadow, has been murdered. There are only two survivors. The first is the main family's third daughter, Jun." The screen flickered and a pale shorthaired woman came into view. "She appears to have none of the talent that was supposedly passed down to her, but that's to be expected. This clan was a particularly peaceful one…"

"So in other words, they were all too weak to stop their murder." Hiei said bluntly.

Koenma sighed. "If you must think about it that way, yes. Anyway, she's still a carrier and needs protection. And the other… well, I'll explain her to you when you get back."

"Get back?" Yusuke said suspiciously.

"Botan."

"Bye now!" they heard their caseworker's cheery voice before toppling into a portal.

"AHH!"

"Ow!"

"Hn."

"Botan!"

"Well, I suppose we should get going."

"Damn Koenma didn't give us directions! Where the hell are we supposed to go?" Yuske said, still angry at their hurried departure.

"Yusuke, I think we're here." Kurama said, pointing.

"Huh?"

He whirled around to see a small wooden cottage. A stream of smoke wafted into the air and burned the demon's sensitive nostrils. Kurama knocked on the door. He got a vague sense of déjà vu as an old balding man stepped out of the house. He mentally shook himself.

"Hello, sir. We're here to retrieve…"

"I know what yer here for, and you can take her. Whiny little brat." He mumbled, allowing them inside.

They entered the one-room cottage and instantly saw the woman they were looking for. She was standing in the middle of the room, expectantly her big brown eyes smiling at them. Her short white hair was pulled back into a small ponytail. She had a silver kimono on that revealed too much cleavage and hugged her cures tightly. Kurama had to silence Yoko when he saw her before speaking.

"Hello, miss. Are you Jun?"

She nodded. "Yes, thank you so much for brining me into your protection. Koenma said you would take good care of me."

"We will!" Kuwabar said in his rough, idiotic voice.

"Oh thank you, kind sirs."

"Let's get going, this boring." Yusuke said, stomping out of the house.

Kurama extended a hand to Jun. "This way, lady."

She giggled and took his hand. When they stepped through the portal and into Koenma's office, the toddler man actually stopped stamping for a moment to look up at them.

"Back already? Good. Hello, Jun, nice to see you again."

"Nice to see you too, Koenma, sir." She said sweetly.

A light blush crept across the baby's face, which was quite strange looking. "May I offer you a seat? George!" The blue ogre came scurrying in with a black chair.

"Hey! Why don't we ever get a seat!?" Yusuke yelled, a vein throbbing in his head.

"Quiet, Yusuke. Anyway, the next woman you'll have to retrieve probably won't go quietly. She is as close to a witch as demons come. She is Jun's cousin. She is cold, ruthless, a bloody fighter…"

"And she's standing right behind you." A cool voice said.

Everyone gasped (except for Hiei). A dark woman had appeared out of nowhere. Kurama's eyes widened. He could hear Yoko gasp inside his head, _No. _

**A/N: Yeah, yeah, I know. The story is moving too fast, but don't worry, there was no other way around it. I know it was a short chapter, but if I didn't end it there, the chapter would have gotten your hopes up for another big chapter, so sorry. Review!**


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N: Um… yeah… nope, I got nuthin'**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yuyu Hakusho.**

_Yoko's thoughts. __Regular thoughts/ __**Thoughts between people.**_

"Yur… Yurika!" Koenma said sweating.

"You should not spy on people, Koenma." The girl said haughtily, crossing her arms.

Yusuke looked at the girl. She could have been pretty, if not for the lack of color. Her black hair was clasped in a low ponytail with messy bangs and two strips falling over her red eyes and narrow shoulders. A black shirt with silver trim went down a few centimeters off her bottom. Black pants hung off her frame. Unlike Jun, her clothes hung off her like they would a scarecrow. Over her shirt, where the belt would be, was a black belt and double sheath, where the black hilts of two silver katanas stuck out from her right hip. A silver chain allowed a black jewel to sit at the base of her neck. (You know the little indent) Somehow, Yusuke thought that they jewel was not meant as a fashionable accessory. There was a white bandage wrapped around a four-inch area on her upper arm. Black fingerless gloves covered most of her hands. Everything was just so- black.

"Yurika, you need to…"

"Get a better security system." She finished. Her arm twitched slightly, but Yusuke thought it was his imagination.

"Ye… no! Listen, you are in danger!"

"Obviously, if you can get past my spells." She said, bored. Her arm twitched again.

"Listen to me! Your clan has been murdered…"

"You are mistaken. I have no clan." Her voice was so cold that the temperature in the room dropped considerably.

Her arms were still crossed and the fingers that left hand's fingers touched and pressed her bandage. Yusuke spared a glance at his at his teammates. Kuwabara was focused on Jun and Heie wasn't even looking at them. Kurama had a distant look to his eyes and his jaw was set grimmer than the many times he almost died.

"Yurika, please they've all died…"

"My clan died long ago. I would appreciate you not spying at me when I'm at home. Thank you and good bye." She started marching toward the door.

"Guys…" Koenma said wearily.

Kurama, Hiei and Yusuke blocked the door while she was still six feet away. Kuwabara had to think a moment before realizing what was going on and stood next to Kuwabara. Yurika glared at them, then the toddler.

"What do you want?" she hissed.

"We believe that both you and Jun are in danger. As I was going to explain to the boys, when darkness demons die, they will their power to another, and you are expected to get more than half the power that your… er…. relations have left you. Anyway, each amount of ki from each respectable person takes an entire day to process through the body and no more than one spirit may convert itself per day, so this entire process will take an entire month for each of you. Your powers will be completely down, so your body doesn't combust under the amount of pressure, and you will be as harmless as humans. At least for a month." Koenma took a breath. "Our spirit detectives should be able to protect you without loosing any of their missions as long as you go to live with them in the human world."

Yurika wasn't happy, but her face was placid. "There is no other, so be it." She muttered.

"Will we be able to get our things?" Jun interrupted.

"Um… yes." Koenma waved both hands and two portals appeared. He frowned. "Yurika, I can only get you within a mile of your home."

"House, and I can run it." She said, stepping through one.

Jun seemed apprehensive. "Are you sure it's safe. I'm going back to the destroyed homes of my clan, after all."

"I'll go with you, Jun!" Kuwabara said suddenly, smiling idiotically.

They left through the portal together. A few minutes later, Yurika arrived. Koenma frowned, Yusuke's eyes widened and Kurama stayed unnervingly calm. In one hand, Yurika held a lumpy bag that seemed to be filled to the brim. A small child was attached to Yurika's back, holding a small bag. Stranger still, was the small shovel she carried with her. On it was a small fire.

"Yurika, why are you carrying a fire?" Koenma asked warily.

Yurika raised the fire and Yusuke moved around her so he was standing at the same vantage point at Koenma. There were two small eyes glaring at him from the fire.

"My name is Reseph and I am a very powerful fire demon." Yurika shook the shovel slightly. "Ah! Crazy lady with a shovel!"

"A fire demon that is bound to his fiery form?" Koenma looked at him curiously.

"Actually, I'm a fire and lightening demon and I was very free until my master captured me. Then he left with his wife leaving me all alone in that dusty old castle."

"Ehehe, Kuwabara, you're funny." A high-pitched voice entered the hall.

"Kato, stay close to me." Yurika whispered to the small boy.

"Good. Now then, boys, I need you to take care of the girls, and apparently the fire demon and kid too." Koenma said superiorly.

"Hey! I can take care of the kid and Rika!" The fire called out indignantly.

Yurika shook the fire again. "Don't call me that." She said in a monotone.

Koenma started to think. "Where can they stay?"

"They can stay at my house!" Kuwabara offered.

"No way! They're not staying in that dump." Yusuke yelled, having personally visited Kuwabara's home.

"Yusuke, since you seem so adamant abut their living conditions, they will be staying at your house."

"No way!!!!!"

Koenma grinned behind his binkie. "Just kidding. Genkai has offered to take them, but remember, since there are two of them and a lot of people that are after them, you all must take turns watching them, even when they are at Genkai's home. Go with George to get the necessary paperwork."

Before Yusuke could argue, he snapped his fingers. George appeared and pushed them out into the hall.



Kurama tensed behind Yukrika. _I can't believe after all these years…__ I know. Those are sharp swords. _Kurama eyed the two katanas are her waist. _I wonder when she'll try it. Probably when we are asleep, the bitch. __Don't think such vulgarity. __We should take the swords away now. _

**Calm yourself, Yoko. I have no desire to fight you now.**

Kurama started. That voice… it was so unlike the steely one that Yurika used now. It was softer and kinder. **It's Kurama, now.**

**A change in name and appearance. I wonder what else has changed.**

**Not my feelings towards you. **Yoko though venomously.

**Nor mine you. There seems to be a split personality here.**

**You're one to talk. ****Yes. **Yoko and Kurama thought at the same time. Hiei cast a sidelong glance at Kurama.

**Are you talking to the darkness demon?**

**Not anymore.** Kurama felt Yurika withdraw from the conversation.

**You two know each other?**

**Hn. ****Hn.**

**I'm rubbing off on you.**

Kurama remained silent. (You know what I mean) They had gotten the paperwork and were about to enter the portal when Yurika stooped down and held out an arm. Almost robotically, the small child swung on it to her back and clutched his hands around her throat. With that, woman, child, and fire disappeared into the portal.

_She hasn't changed. __What about the child? __True, but something's not right here. __I know, but something wasn't right all those years ago. __Fine, keep your guard up and watch her with both eyes._

**A/N: YaY! Longer chapter, don't you feel special? Review!**


	4. Chapter 3

**A/N: Stress is my friend… stress is my friend…. rocks back and forth in fetal position**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yuyu Hakusho. I don't know why fanfiction thinks that will change in between each chapter.**

"Do we really have to walk up all those steps?" Jun asked, dumfounded.

"If you want, I could carry you." Kuwabara said, grinning stupidly.

"That would be much appreciated." Jun said, smiling.

Kuwabara picked her up bridal style and started running clumsily up the steps. Hiei 'hned' and ran up. Yusuke stuck out an arm.

"Do you want help?"

Yurika stared at him. "I have been wanting help for six decades. I do not expect it now." She said, taking a step.

"Wait for me, Miss Yurika!" The small boy, Kato, said running up the stone steps of Genkai's temple.

Yusuke and Kurama fell in step behind them. When they got up to the top they found an annoyed-looking Hiei, an expressionless Genkai, a serene-looking Yukina, a smiling Jun, and a passed-out Kuwabara. Yusuke nudged Kuwabara's head with his foot.

"He's really out of it."

"That's what you get for carrying a woman up over one hundred steps at a break-neck pace." Genkai said crossly.

"Nice to see you too, Grandma." Yusuke muttered.

Genkai ignored him and silently appraised the two very different girls in front of her. "Can you two protect yourselves even without your powers?" She eyes the two swords at Yurika's hip and seemed to look at Jun for something similar.

"I can't." Jun offered.

"If I must." Yurika said, bored.

"Hm." Genkai said.

The boys all knew what was coming next, but apparently so did Yurika. As Genkai's fist came down on Yurika's head, the girl moved out of the way. Genkai, stuck a leg out to trip her, and she jumped, landing behind Genkai. Her swords were drawn and were at the back of Genkai's neck.

"You would kill an old woman?" Genkai asked, seemingly surprised.

"If I must." Yurika repeated, her voice steely instead of bored. She was not backing down.

Genkai moved back to her original position and Yurika sheathed her swords in one, fluid movement. Genkai gave a half smile. "I like her."

"What? It took you weeks to like me!" Yusuke said.

"Months, actually. Come on, then. Let's get you all settled, who's staying here with them."

"I still think I can protect them at home!" Reseph spoke up.

Genkai glared at the fire demon. "I suppose that's true. And I really don't want any of you around my home…"

"I'm staying during the night." Hiei said, as they had agreed while Kurama had been lost in his thoughts.

Genkai shrugged and began walking away. "Good I like you too. At least you don't yell." She half-turned around. "I don't have enough room for him." She pointed to Kato, who seemed afraid of her and edged closer to Yuika.

Yurika did nothing to comfort the child. "It's fine. Kato can stay with me and Reseph."

Genkai gave a quick nod. "Fine." She walked them through the temple, going down a hallway. She pointed to a door. "Princess, that's your room."

Jun looked around, and then pointed at herself. "Me?"

Genkai was already moving on. She pointed to another door. "Hiei, yours."

"Hn."

"And down there is a room a little bit bigger. You can take that one." She looked at Yurika and Kato.

"Do you mind if I redecorate?"

"You haven't seen it."

'Doesn't matter."

Genkai studied her for a minute. "I suppose not. Now," she turned to everyone else, "GET THE HELL OUT OF MY HOUSE!"

The boys that weren't staying started leaving, for now it was night and each had families to get home to.

"Kato, get in the room. I'm going out to see the town."

"You can't go anywhere alone." Genkai said sternly.

Yusuke turned around to see what happens next.

"My powers aren't off until tomorrow and then still I'm stronger than anything I'll meet in an hour outside. I'll be fine." She said stoically. With that, she left the hallway and the quiet tap of the front door signaled her departure.



"Someone had better follow her. Hiei, stay here, I have to go out too." Genkai said, leaving the crowded hallway.

Kurama glanced at the others. After all he had been through with her, he wanted to not want to be near her. He wanted hate being in the same room as her. He almost wanted to hope that something did come after her. But he couldn't. He did dislike her, but wasn't sure if he could manage hate. He wanted her safe. What was worse was that he was almost glad of this mission and wanted to be in the same room as her.

_You're hoping that we can make up. __You are I, so you are too. __You are not denying it. __Neither are you. __It won't work. She changed that day and has had sixty years to stay the same. She was headstrong when we knew her. __It's not only that, I want to know why._

**Why what? **Hiei's voice said clearly.

**Nothing.**

"I'll go." He volunteered. The others looked at him questioningly. He shrugged. "My mother's not expecting me home all too early anymore and I believe that Yusuke, Keiko is expecting a call from you tonight."

Yusuke eyes widened and he ran out of the house screaming. "HOLY SHIT, KEIKO'S GONNA KILL ME!!!!"

Kurama left the house after a quick nod to the other three. He quickly made his way towards Yurika's ki. He soon found her, eyes closed, on top of a nearby apartment. She was concentrating, probably seeing the city by the vibrations. He disguised his ki and got as close as fifty yards away, though he couldn't see her anymore as he was below her on a small house.

After a few minutes, she jumped down from her place on the apartment roof and froze as a car went by. She started to run. Kurama followed her, jumping from roof to roof. She seemed sure of her direction. He soon found himself in the park, in a small corner that was abandoned years ago.

"This place is familiar, or at least the scene is." He heard her speak and almost responded when he remembered that she didn't know he was there.

She stepped over to the swing and hung it back where it should have been, securing it firmly. She tore out the broken planks on the slide and used shadows to smooth the monkey bars. It was summer, but the sandbox was full of rotten leaves and wet dirt and the flower boxes and bowls were barren. She moved around each of them before jumping into a tree.

Kurama moved to the side to not get caught, then jumped down to see what she had done. He saw that each flower box and bowl was filled with beautiful black lilies. Each petal was black with a dark blue-purple end that met in a star shape at the bottom of the flower. He frowned. _After sixty years, she still knows how to do that?_

**A/N: Please review! Seriously, I have had like, three hits per chapter. Will you three people review because this is the only story out of my other seven that I'm not that sure of, so I just need a little push in the right direction. Or don't review and make me wonder. **


	5. Chapter 4

**A/N: Le sob! **

**For the benefit of the fic (all worship fic) Kurama is in the same school as Yusuke and Kuwabara. And they are all now in high school, cause come on.**

**Disclaimer: You are all very mean people.**

"No."

The door slammed in Yusuke's face. He pounded on it. "Come on, Yurika! I hate school too, but you have to go."

She opened the door but did not allow him to fall into the room. "Why should I?"

"Think of it this way, you'll be able to get outside without Genkai breathing down your neck." Kurama offered. He had been trying to be as nice as possible, hoping he would eventually get to know why she had tried to kill him sixty years (which wasn't very long in a demon's mind) ago.

She looked at Kurama. He could have sworn her eyes softened before getting the hard look she always got when he spoke to her. "Will I be allowed to bring my swords?"

"You're not allowed weapons in school." Yusuke said. "Otherwise Taki and his gang would be dead by now."

Yurika cocked her head to one side. "Then how will I protect Kato?"

"Well, Kato will stay here…"

"Absolutely not."

"Yurika! Scar!" Reseph's voice could be heard from inside the room.

Yurika's eyes widened and her breath seemed to have caught in her throat. She took a cleansing breath and closed her eyes. "Fine I agree to all your terms and conditions. Let's go." She walked past them, throwing her swords inside.

Yusuke looked after her confusedly. "She's just gonna come? Just like that?"

Kurama shrugged. "She is indeed a strange girl." He said before following her.

They went down the steps and found Jun and Kuwabara waiting for them. Together the small group walked towards the school. They were in front of the gate when Yurika came to a stop. She frowned and walked across the street.

"Yo! Yukina! School's this way!"

Yukina didn't answer. She disappeared in a small alley between a convenience store and a hardware shop. They started to go after her, but a few minutes later, she appeared again, this time with a lump of orange in her arms.

"Shall we be going?" she said.

A small fox poked his head out of her arms. "You got a fox?" Yusuke asked, dumbfounded.

Yurika stared at him as if he was an alien. "We're still on that. Yes if you must know, I have an affinity for foxes." She seemed to freeze for a second. Kurama and her eyes glanced each other at the same time. She quickly turned away. "Let's go." She started forward.

They hadn't been four steps from where they started when Taki and his gang ran out of the alley. "There she is!" he shouted.

"Oh, it seems they have recovered." She said softly. She began walking again. "Come on, you said we had to get here at seven and we have five minutes. You three aren't being late because of us."

By this time Taki had marched up to her. "Hey! You can't just steal our stuff."

Yurika put a hand on the fox's head. "This fox is a feral creature whose lineage dates back to the first foxes to inhabit this continent. To take care of one of these you would have to have an acre of property fully econozied, so don't see it as stealing as relieving you of a burden."

Taki seemed to have lost interest by time she was finished talking and he was now ogling Jun in her tight kimono. "Hey, cutie. You're new, why don't ya ditch these nerds and come with me. I'll show you around."

"Oh that's very nice of you." Jun said, oblivious to his meaning.

They all sweat dropped. "No, seriously. I share blood with this baka?" She asked Yusuke.

Yusuke didn't respond but dragged the smiling Jun away while Kuwabara got rid of Taki. They stepped into the white polished hallways. Yusuke spread his arms wide.

"Jun, Yurika, welcome to hell."

"Watch the language, Urameshi." A teacher muttered as he walked by.

"Watch your back, Akashi." Yusuke glared at the teacher's back.

"Before you get into trouble, Yusuke, I think we'd best bring the girls to sign in." Kurama said, almost reading the dark ideas flitting through his friend's head.

"Fine."

They brought the girls to the office and surprisingly, they were given schedules and their uniforms as soon as they got in. Suddenly, they hit a snag in the road.

"Girls, I don't seem to have a copy of your transcripts…"

Everyone froze, but Yurika saved them. "I'm sorry, sir, but my cousin and I were unable to get them from our old school, the school wasn't very good and well, it seems that our transcripts have been lost."

He nodded. "Ah, came from that school down south did you? Well, you can start today in regular classes just like the others." (A/N: I know that normally schools don't let you in the first day, but mine actually did. Weird huh?)

"Yes sir." Only Kurama could hear the small incline of her sound waves, indicating she was nervous.

"Fine. Minamino, you'll show these girls around won't you?"

"Yes sir." He nodded in place of a bow.

"Good, girls go change in the bathroom. If you need help, ask Suichi here."

"Hai." The girls said in unison.

They left the office and immediately Yurika sighed in relief. "Thank the gods he I guessed right. I didn't have any idea what I was talking about."

"Could've fooled me."

"What's important is that I fooled him."

Yusuke and Kuwabara went off to class while Kurama waited outside the bathroom.

**Suichi? **There was amusement in the soft voice that was so unlike the guarded one that the actual person used.

**Do I detect a hint of amusement? **Kurama tried to keep the conversation light, reminding himself that he needed to gain her favor.

**I can't help how the voice in my head sounds.**

**No, you actually sound nice. **Kurama was surprised that his tone was slightly bitter.

**You should not be embittered about things you do not understand… **There were faint traces of pain in her mind's voice.

**I would understand if you told me. And are you all…**

**WHAT THE HELL!**

"What the hell!"

Yurika came stomping out of the bathroom. "Did they create this uniform so that we would look like sluts?" She exploded. Her hand suddenly flew to where her bandage remained.

"Are you all…" Kurama asked again.

"I don't know, I kinda like it." Jun said skipping out and twisting about in her new skirt.

"You would." Yurika muttered.

**A/N: Everyone bow down to the tension! Review, tell me your thoughts!!!**


	6. Chapter 5

**A/N: I got a review. Wohoo! Thanks!**

**Just for future reference, yes Reseph is just like Calcifer from Howl's Moving Castle (Love that movie) and I did use that quote but he isn't exactly him. He's actually wise and mean- kind of like a fire demon Genkai. He also plays a very big roll when it comes to Yurika. However, that reviewer gave me a really good idea considering Yurika's portals. **

**Disclaimer: Did I mention how much I hate you?**

Jun and Yurika had their last class in a separate class from the boys. They were told to meet them at the gate so they could escort them home. Jun was there, kicking her legs childishly, but Yurika was nowhere in sight or sense.

"Hey, Jun, what happened to Yurika?"

The white-haired girl shrugged. "She had to go somewhere called detention."

Yusukle smacked his forehead. "Great. 'Behave for just one day, Yusuke.' 'Be an example for the girls Yusuke'." He said imitating Kurama.

"This does prove troublesome." Kurama admitted. "What was she sent there for?"

"I punched that dude that was annoying me this morning in the nose. He's lucky I was holding back because he's human." Yurika suddenly appeared, sitting on one of pillars of the gate.

"What!!!! Where did you come from!!!??" Yusuke pointed at her dramatically, as if she was a ghost.

"Detention. I thought Jun just told you that." She looked at him strangely.

"Yeah, but why aren't you still in detention?"

She shrugged. "I got bored, he fell asleep."

_Sounds like the time I asked her to wait for me in the valley. I was five minutes late! __Some things never change. __Others change a lot. _

Yurika whistled a few times. A flash of orange dropped out of a nearby tree and ran to her. "I'll be back."

Yusuke put a hand on her forearm. "Today your powers are officially down. You can't go anywhere alone."

Yurika glared at him. "If you really think you can keep up…"

"I'll go." Kurama said suddenly. "Yusuke, even if she can't directly use her powers, she's still a full demon and can outrun you." He said firmly, cutting off all arguments.

Yusuke shrugged. "Fine, I'll just stay here with Jun." he said teasingly.

While it was true that Kurama would have rather stayed with the perky and polite Jun instead of the dark and cold enigma that was Yurika, Kurama just smiled and waved as they walked away. Yurika glared at him, but he could have sworn it softened a bit when he smiled at her. _Kill her with kindness. _He chanted the old saying in his head.

"Let's get going, I want to see a couple places before we go back to Genaki's"

That's all the warning she gave him before streaking off toward the park. Kurama followed her as fast as he could. He slowed down a bit. He was smugly aware of the fact that he was still faster than her. He blamed it on Yoko.

She came to halt in the center of the park panting. She frowned. "I… usually just go to places I want to go thorough my portal… guess this is… different…"

"Yes, it takes a awhile to get used to." Kurama agreed, clasping his hands behind his back.

"Doesn't. I don't need to get used to it. Twenty-nine days and I'm gone."

"You know that estimate wasn't exact." Kurama reminded her.

"Damn. Remind me to torch Koenma."

Kurama chuckled slightly. "Now where to?" He asked though he knew perfectly well where she was headed.

She glared heatedly at him. "Stay here. I'll be back." Kurama gave her a look that told her that he was going to follow her. She sighed exasperatedly. "I won't go outside your ki sensing area. If I do, you can look for me."

She left and Kurama considered going after her. But finding no good reason to do so other than satisfy his own curiosity, he stayed where he was. Yurika was back a moment later with the fox still in her arms.

'Come on, the fox told me where he lived." She jumped into a tree and from there, a rooftop.

Kurama followed her all the way to the small woods that were in the city. There was an iron twisted fence that blocked civilians off from the area. It was six feet tall, but an easy jump for two demons. Yurika, who by now seemed tired, trotted over to a small streambed.

The fox jumped out of her arms and to a tree. A larger female came out and nuzzled the small cub. She sniffed and flattened her ears. She bared her teeth and growled, hunching down over her cub. Yurika and Kurama backed away a few yards. Kurama was about to suggest that they get back when Yurika sat down heavily.

"Yurika?" No answer. He stooped and shook her shoulder slightly, noticing how bony it was. "Yurika are you all right."

She panted slightly. "Fine." She muttered. Her eyes glazed.

"No you're not. Tell me what's wrong. I want to help."

Yurika made eye contact with him. Her red eyes bore into his green for a moment before she said slowly. "You can't help me." She hissed in pain and leaned over so that her forehead touched the grass.

Kurama felt something tingling on the edges of his concentration. "No, not now." He whispered.

A moment later a small demon that looked rather like a mushroom burst into the clearing. "Hehe, two demons. One's an easy catch. Hehehe." His high squeaky voice annoyed Kurama but he kept his face calm.

"Leave now."

"Hehe, red demon wants me Tototto to leave. But Tototto wants black demon."

_What do I know about mushroom demons? _Kurama thought quickly. _They're poisonous, tricky, smart, but easily distracted. First thing's first. Get his attention away from Yurika. _He glanced down at the girl; she seemed to had fallen unconscious but was shaking considerably.

Kurama took his rose from his hair. "Rose Whip!"

He sliced quickly through the Mushroom demon before it had a chance to retaliate.

"What, Yoko, no toying with the enemy?" Yurkia's tight voice came from behind him. She was standing shakily, and seemed paler than before, if possible.

Kurama shook his head. "I try not to do that if I can help it." He put a hand on her elbow, steadying her.

She looked at his hand then, back up to his eyes. "You've changed."

"So have you."

She shook her head. "Only as far as the skin goes. Ahh!!" she fell to her knees, despite Kurama's attempts to keep her secure. She clutched her bandaged arm tightly. Kurama tried to touch her, but she shrank away with a hiss. "Get away from me." Her voice was low, angry even.

"What-?"

"Kurama, if you value your life, you will stay as far away from me as possible." She said. "I must get back to Genkai's. I'll be fine from here." She jumped away from him.

A black lily floated across the path form the park. Kurama bent and picked it up, examining it. '_If you value you your life.' Sounds familiar? __She was wrong. She has changed._

**A/N: I got a review! (Does happy dance) erm.. ehem… none of you saw that. Review!**


	7. Chapter 6

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yuyu Hakusho.**

"Where should I put this, Miss Yurika?" Kato staggered under the balance of her bag.

She took it from him. "Give that to me, and you go find something to do." She said stalely.

"Yes, Miss Yurika." Kato bounced out the door.

"You know you can't keep doing this to yourself." Reseph said when the door closed.

Yurika looked down. "I know. I just can't dump him somewhere- Ahh!" She dropped to her knees.

Reseph rolled his floating eyes. "Come here."

He commanded. Yurika numbly made her way over to the brick fireplace and stepped up the small step, sitting against the brick part of the wall. Reseph reached out a hand, which soon turned to look like a human arm and grasped her arm in his fiery fingers. As he tended to her, she looked about the room.

It was pretty much empty and colorless. The walls were off white with age and the carpet was brown and hard. There was a futon in the corner, with a thin gray blanket stretched across it. The lack of color suited Yurika perfectly, at least that's what she told herself.

The fireplace was across from the door and a few feet to the right. It was huge and seemed to not fit in with the room. The brickwork took up half the wall and went up to the ceiling, despite the floors above. A ledge extended from the base of the fireplace and out into the room, which is where Yurika sat now and planned to sleep.

"This is what I've been talking about. With that guy and the kid here…"

"I know. Stop lecturing me." Yurkia said quickly, trying not to be reminded.

"I'm just saying, maybe you'd be safer in the Maki."

"Can't leave Kato without saying anything. Can't live in Maki without powers." Yurika panted. She shook off Reseph and seemed to recover. "Oh well, might as well get this portal up." She started rummaging through the bag.



Yusuke stared as the small boy hopped into the room. "Hey kid, what kind of demon are you?"

Kato shrugged and pilled a cushion off the couch. "Reseph calls me a treeling."

"What the hell kind of demon it that?"

Kato shrugged again and started to move some pillows from the forest green couch to the floor around him. Genaki entered the room from the small kitchen.

"Treelings, hmm, Reseph must be an old demon. That's what the old fire demons called young earth demons."

"I'm in a fort!" Kato yelled out from underneath the pillows.

Yusuke grinned and lazily kicked the fort, which collapsed.

"Hey!" Kato's curly brown haired head popped out from underneath the fallen fort. He glared at Yusuke indignatly.

"Kato." The temperature in the room dropped a few degrees.

"Yes, Miss Yurika." Kato jumped up and stood to attention as Yukira entered the room.

"Don't bother the Spirit detectives past eight. Come, time for sleep."

"Past eight! How about never!" Yusuke yelled, a vein popping out of his head.

"Yes, Miss Yukina." Kato continued as if Yusuke didn't say anything at all.

As Kato left, Genkai seemed to smile a little. Then she glared at Yusuke. "Why aren't you that obedient?"

"Ahh… shut up, Grandma."

A hard blow to the head answered Yusuke.



"Come on! We're late!" Yusuke called impatiently.

Kurama had opted to walk back with Jun while Yurika walked ahead with Kuwabara and Yusuke as if nothing happened. Somewhere in the trees above Hiei was following them, though the humans did not know it.

"I believe we should hurry up, getting into trouble again would not be a good idea and Taki and his gang usually come late."

Jun's head bobbed. "I know, but the day is so beautiful, why not stop and enjoy it?" she became thoughtful. "How come Yurika doesn't enjoy the day? She is my cousin, right? So shouldn't we like the same things?"

Kurama felt a wash of cold come over him. _Do not speak of things that you do not understand. _"That is something you must ask her yourself."

"Okay!" Jun sped up and tapped Yurika on the shoulder.

Yurika did not stop. "What?"

"How come you don't stop and enjoy the day?" Jun asked innocently.

"I have my reasons." Yurika said coldly.

"Cold." Yusuke said. He slowed until Kurama drew level with him. "I'm starting to really not like that girl. It would be better is we could just let her go back to the Maki and take care of Jun."

"So it seems." Kurama responded, staring at the back of Yurika's messy ponytail.



"Ah! Don't tell me she's in detention again!" Yusuke cried.

Jun shook her head and stared at the group with childlike brown eyes. "Nope. She just said that she meet Taki after school."

"That is in no way good." Kurama stated. "Could you please tell us where they are meeting?"

"Of course, they are meeting right over there behind the school, but I don't understand why you nice guys bother with her. She can take care of herself and doesn't like anyone, not even that cute little kid she keeps around."

Kurama frowned, surprised to hear something so insensitive coming from Jun. "We take care of her because it is the right thing to do."

"And because Koenma is forcing us." Yusuke said loudly.

"I'm serious, though. She hates everyone and she threatened to kill you." Jun said, looking at Kurama.

"Whoa! When'd this happen?"

Kurama studied the girl in front of him. "How do you know that she threatened me?"

"Oh… um…."

Shouts of 'fight' could be heard from the yard. The boys looked up nervously.

"We will continue this conversation later." He muttered, walking quickly to the voices with Kuwabara, Yusuke, Hiei, and a very nervous looking Jun (though no one noticed her nervousness) trailing behind him.

**A/N: sorry for the wait, but I'm trying as hard as I can to finish the entire LOTR book in four days, so I'm in trouble here. Review!**


	8. Chapter 7

**A/N: sleepy….**

**Disclaimer: Why must I keep repeating this? I have no money that you can take away…**

Taki, his nose slightly squashed from where Yurika had punched him the other day, stood in his 'battle ready' position. His hulking girth and idiocy soon had him on the ground with Yurika staring at him, bored.

"We're done here. You won't bother me again." She said.

Yusuke broke free of the group and grabbed her arm. "What the hell! You can't stay out of trouble for one day?"

Yurika stared emotionlessly at him. "I'm not in trouble."

Yusuke started yelling some intelligible stuff as the crowd dispersed. Suddenly, Yurika's hand flew up to her bandaged arm. Her eyes widened.

"Jun! Get over here now!"

"Wha-?" Yurika roughly grabbed her cousin's arm and pulled her away.

Kurama and Hiei quickly followed as Kuwabara and Yusuke started yelling again. The girls ran down an alley and behind some trashcans before both fell over with a cry. Jun whimpered and cried a lot, and Yurika took the pain just as she had the day before, silent with small grunts here and there. Finally, both girls fell limp. Without conscious restraint, Yurika breathed heavily and a thin line of sweat trailed down her cheek.

A few minutes later, Yurika opened her eyes. Her nose crinkled and she growled slightly. "Damn it!" She punched the ground feebly.

"It's the inheritance. We'll have to ask Genkai why you keep passing out." Kurama said quietly.

Yurika nodded and her eyes narrowed. "Jun, open your eyes. I know you're awake."

The white haired girl stayed where she was. Yurika kicked her softly. "Hey! Stop faking."

"Perhaps she isn't. Her breathing is slow enough." Kurama said.

"No, she's awake. When she's asleep her breathing pattern is different."

Jun gave a soft moan and opened her eyes. "It hurts so much." She whispered.

Yurika glared at her. "It doesn't hurt anymore than a battle wound. Toughen up." She said, pulling herself off the ground.

Kurama glared at Yurika as he moved past her to Jun. "Here, let me help you." He said kindly, stopping down and putting out a hand.

When he turned around, Yurika and Hiei were looking at each other intensly. He opened his mind and intruded on the conversation.

He heard Yurika first. **… Koenma.**

**That would be best. When? **Hie's voice responded.

**When what?**

Yurika glared at Kurama. **That's very rude.**

**You're one to talk.**

**Shut up, fox.**

**How the hell do you two know each other? **Hiei asked impatiently.

**Old acquaintances**. Yurika answered.

**What were you two talking about? **Kurama asked patiently.

Hiei and Yurika glanced each other. Yurika shook her head fractionally to the side.** Nothing.**

Kurama was annoyed, but hid it. "Shall we be going?" He asked pleasantly.

"Why were you three staring at each other?" Jun asked childishly.

Yurika cast a glance at Hiei. **That's what I mean.**

**Hn. You're right. **

**Would somebody mind cluing me in?**

Silence. Kurama growled mentally.



"Hiei, come on." Yurika said quietly. Hiei followed her to her room and Kurama was surprised that they did not object when he followed. Yurika opened the door to her room.

"Kato."

The small boy snapped to attention. "Yes Miss Yurika?" he sounded eager to please her.

Yurika ignored this. "Go out to the living room and stay there unless myself or Genkai instruct you otherwise."

"Rika, that is not a good idea." Reseph said loudly.

"Don't call me that." The room got colder. "Why not?"

Reseph seemed to draw into himself. "Your… he… Morrio died, Yurika."

Yurika's head snapped to where Reseph was sitting. "What?"

Reseph seemed truly sad, which was strange for a fire demon. "He was murdered. Today."

Yurika crossed the room and sat heavily on the bed, her thumbs supporting her chin and her face leaned into its fists. Kurama recognized this as her 'thinking' pose. A moment later, her hand clapped onto her bandaged arm.

"Yurika? Rika, are you okay?" Reseph asked tentaviely.

The use of her nickname seemed to bring Yurika back. "Don't call me that. It's fine. People live. People die. People are murdered. It happens. Now I have to figure out what to do next."

Reseph eyed her. "You need me to…"

Yurika glanced at the two men in the room who were looking at her strangely. "Leave."

Hiei 'hned' and left, but Kurama stayed where he was. "Yurika, please. I know you don't want me to, but I truly want to help. It usually helps to let things out."

Yurika looked at him almost pleadingly. "Kurama, everytime you say you want to help you do more harm then good. Now, leave with your life." Her voice held less threat than sadness.

"Yurika, just tell me what's going on…"

Yurika jumped up and punched Kurama in the stomach. As he was trying to get the wind back into him, she pushed him out into the hallway. He put an arm across where she had hit him. She was stronger than she had been.

"Kurama, you can't help me."

**A/N: Ohh… wonder why? Mwhahahaha. Review!**


	9. Chapter 8

**A/N: Yeah… uh… yeah….**

**Disclaimer: You are the type of people that would beat hippies with a stick. **

"That was a little harsh, don't you think?" Reseph said, sounding every bit as old as he actually was.

"No. Kato, come here." Yurika sat down on her usual spot of the shelf below the fireplace.

"Yes, Miss Yurika." He sat next to her on the fireplace ledge.

She looked at him. "Kato, a long time ago, after I left my village, I had a… an acquaintance. I trusted him, so I gave him my secret, so that if anything ever happened to me, he would take on my duties. Today apparently, he died." She delivered the news in her normal monotone.

"I am sorry, Miss Yurika." Kato said sorrowfully.

"Don't be. You are not the one to kill him and he was one who sought death." Yurika sighed and rubbed her temples. "There is not a way I can tell you the whole truth without a problem, so I shall tell you everything I can and what I can't may you never learn." Kato nodded. Yurika sighed again. _This child is too understanding for his own good… or mine for that matter. _"Get me one of my swords and a new roll of bandages, Kato." Yurika ordered.

Kato did as she said and she accepted them. Sighing, she slit the bandages on her arm. They fell away, to the floor. She heard Kato gasp and gave a bitter humorless laugh.

"So this is what you see." She said. "Already it throbs, warning to go no further into my tale, but you a curious, right?" The young boy nodded dumbly.

"Yurika, perhaps you shouldn't…." Reseph tried to warn her, but she waved him off.

"No, Reseph. I have chosen and I have chosen well. Kato, you are brave, loyal, and you will be strong." Kato beamed at her compliments, for this is the most affection that had ever received from his keeper. "I have no doubt in my mind that one day you will be able to take over my duties."

"What are your duties, Miss Yurika?" Kato asked eagerly. It was painfully obvious to Yurika that his little heart burned with the desire to fulfill her wishes.

"In time, Kato. First I must tell you of the story of four daughters and the Mountain and the Valley of Kusabana."



Centuries ago, the Maki was in a time of turmoil. Evil demons ate at the land and all that grew from it. There was but one place that stayed peaceful and happy. It was the Valley of Kusabana and her surrounding mountains.

A village sat at the base of the mountains, close to the forest where berries and mushrooms grew. Nothing but the great wolf packs, the young fox families and the elk that the village and the wolves hunted thrived in the forest. A great river ran through the mountains, through the very center of the village, and into the valley's heart. The lake was strictly the wolves' territory where they frolicked in the shallows and drank when they could. None but the very swift and the very foolish in the village had seen it, as an unspoken rule, and no wolf dare tread upon the village borders.

The demons there chose a simpler life, farming and marketing within themselves. They grew, hunted, or scavenged their own food and soon became a strong village. Yet as all strong groups of people need, they need a leader, someone to go to for help or for decisions no one else dare make.

Therefore, the Isei family was chosen. They were excellent hunters, masters of the sword and bow. They also all had midnight black hair and yellow eyes. Their clan had many people, but many secrets. Not the least of which was their relation to the Great Wolf Pack. The wolf pack was made up of wolf demons that had been born in their animalistic form. Their secrets would be their downfall, but this story starts long before that.

With Isei family as head of the village, everything went great. For a couple of decades, at least. Finally, the Great Lord Enma was fed up with the darkness and demons. There was not one place in the world that he could send them where they would all stay and be content with staying. He rounded them up and gave them a choice; go to on place in the Maki to live out their days or be eaten by him.

Demons, by nature take care of themselves above all others and the decision was unanimous. The demons by that time had touched each corner of the world, so they choose the one and only place that they could never touch before. The Valley of Kusabana.

The Great Lord Enma agreed, much to the dismay of the villagers. The mountains and valleys were overtaken and darkness was felt for the first time by the people and the creatures of the forest. The fox tribes were all but wiped out and the wolves seemed to move into the darkness of the caves in the northern areas. The village lost half their inhabitants.

All seemed lost to the villagers, for they were being picked off faster than they could grow. Then one day, Miridako Isei, the first child and heir to the Isei's fell in love with an outsider demon. She was driven out from the village by her own family, her brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles and mother and father. She sought help from her love. He did help for a time, but soon things changed.

The Great Wolf Pack of the valley had heard of Miridako's exile. Their eyes ran red with anger, but Miridako was a gentle creature, far too gentle. She would not allow her clan's murder for it would mean the end of the entire village. Instead, the wolves moved from the North to the mountains close to the village. It was there they took in Miridako and her lover and there they stayed.

Then one day, Miridako's love was slaughtered by the other demons of the mountains. The wolves were away and none could stop Miridako's greif from turning to external violence. Luckily, or possibly not, Miridako was left just sane enough not to hurt someone else, just herself.

She took a black pup from his sleeping mother and slit her wrist. She took the pup's paw and slit it as well, though not nearly as deep as hers. She put her wrist to his. The cub loved Miridako very much, and did nothing to stop her. Soon, the there was more of Miridako's blood in him than his own.

The wolves returned to find Miridako dead and pup lapping up the last of her blood. They, being much more clever than normal wolves, worried for the dangers that they knew lay ahead.

The pup grew. And grew. And grew. When he reached adulthood, his shoulder could have bumped that of a man's and his fangs could kill an elk with one bite. He was named by his pack, Hito, for Miridako had passed on a special trait. He could turn into a two-legger, a man.

He heard the tale of Miridako and her love and of his part in her death, anger ran through veins. When the bloodwrath touched the eyes of this wolf, none was there to stop him.

He ran from his den and into the forest. He killed everything living before him. Many a day did his rampage continue, with many a bloody battle. Soon he collapsed with exhaustion. He was not ready to die, and he cursed the moon for his ill luck. Finally, a demon maiden came through the forest. She heard his cursing and came to him.

"What makes you think you should live?" She asked.

"I am not ready to die. My quest is not over." He replied.

"And what quest is that?" She asked, by this time interested. In those mountains, when senseless murder and overzealous pillaging was common, demon with quests were not.

"I will kill my family, who shunned my mother." He answered, eyes glazing over.

"And who are they?" She asked, starting to walk away, picking flowers from a nearby cluster.

"The Isei clan."

It was here that the maiden's blood ran cold. The Isei family, though the wolf did not know it, were no longer what they once were. They had many houses and many weapons, and they were looking to expand their village, since they had taken the lake. They made deals with the outsider demons and did sneaky things. That included killing off the entire raven demon family.

"If I help you on this quest of yours, what shall you do for me?" The maiden inquired.

"Anything." Panted Hito.

"Then you are healed." She said. She pressed the flowers she had been gathering to his wound and he was lost into darkness for a time.

When Hito awoke, he found that his angel of healing was more like an angel of death. Black wings that he had not seen before were spread behind her, and she held two swords studded with rubies and emeralds. Even so, she was beautiful. Hito shook his head and got up.

Together, they ran from the mountain and through the forests. Over the course of a few days, the two became friends and the raven fell in love. They stole through the sleepy village and entered the Isei compound. They picked off each and every one of the demons that had put Miridako through so much pain.

When they were done, Hito looked at the bloodstained walls and laughed. The home of the ones he hated was now his by inheritance. He owned the place his second mother grew up in and was exiled from. He asked the raven demon what she wanted.

"I have gotten what I wanted, wolf. I have destroyed the Iseis." The raven said, but the wolf could smell her apprehension.

"Not all of them." He said. "I am an Isei. My second mother gave me her blood and I am the head of the clan."

The raven stood still a moment, and then bowed her head. "I cannot fight you, for I will surely loose and die by your hand. Even if I were the better, I could not."

"And why is that, raven?" Hito asked, still reveling in his glory.

"It is because I have fallen in love with you."

A silence enveloped them. Suddenly, Hito crossed the room and took the raven's face. He kissed her gently, barely a brushing of lips. "I said I would give you anything you wanted if you were to heal me, and I shall keep my promise." He said, for he too, loved the raven.

They went back to the den of his family, and were greeted with mixed emotions. Love between one of the air and one of the forest was strictly taboo, more so than even love between an Isei and outsider, but the demons were better than the Iseis. The two would be allowed together.

But a den is no place for a raven, neither then or now, so they left. Hito wished to go back to the village. It was obvious that even the day they were gone the village could not function on its own, so he would take over the Isei's family place. And he did. Raven and Hito would take care of not only the Valley, but all the mountains. It was not long before they gained the names, the Guardian of the Valley and the Guardian of the Mountains. Raven would fly over the mountains and Hiton would keep the valley at peace. The lake went back to the wolves and the villagers took up the rule again. None but the very foolish or the very fast would go to the lake.

The raven demon and Hito had three children. One had black wings, the other had yellow eyes and could turn into a wolf, and the last seemed normal. Until the day she turned one hundred. She grew wings out of her back and her eyes turned red.

Unfortunately, Hito and raven had both died by this time, in each other's arms, by another demon. The woman, named Okanan, was decided to be a 'witch woman' and driven out just like her grandmother. But this time, none was there to take her in. The wolves had retreated back into the darkness of the caves in the north and had no idea that one of their daughters was being slowly devoured by her hate.

She decided she would not take her revenge on the village until she had produced an heir for her magnificent gifts. But she did not count on love. She was washing by a stream that fed to the river when she saw a magnificent demon, or at least by her thoughts. She followed him, and he caught her. He was the leader of a band of famous bandits, how could her not?

He seemed kind enough, though she was not one to be wary anyway. She gave herself to him and thinking she was in love, she followed him to the ends of the Earth. Well, what seemed the ends of the Earth to her. He was leaving the mountains, and she was nine months pregnant.

Okanan gave birth, and made it through the birth, both her and the baby, with little help. A month after the baby's birth, Okanan found her husband with another demon. When she flapped her wings and flashed her red eyes, he laughed and threw a sword at her. It hit her, in the chest, though not deep enough to kill her. But he might as well have. For one to never had love and to have lived alone, first love might as well be the last.

She ran through the forest, bloody and hurt. And angry. An awful change overcame her. She left the baby at the village gates. The villagers found her and Okanan disappeared into the black forest. The daughter had a pendant with her name on it, though they needn't have looked. Her abundant black hair and golden eyes were enough.

She was the Isei heir and was raised as one. By the time she was a couple hundred years old, her aunt and uncle and cousins had fully accepted that she would lead the clan and the village one day.

The girl had a wild streak in her. She loved adventure and loved to go to the lake. She was neither very fast or very foolish, but the wolves daren't go near her unless she bid them to do so, which she did often.

One day, she was in her home, alone, and she heard a noise. She went to investigate and looked into the main room. A demon was reaching for the family jewels. She entered the room without a noise and reached up. The demon jumped away. She stood on her tiptoes and grabbed the jewels. She held them out to him.

"You want these, don't you?" she asked.

The demon looked at her warily and took them. There was a noise and she could hear her family coming. She grabbed his arm and pulled him through the house, and out of the village. She hid him behind rock, tree, and house. Finally, she stopped him by the lake in the valley and started to laugh. The demon thought her to be quite mad.

"Why did you help me?" he asked.

She shrugged and continued grinning at the sleepy village, still unknowing to what they had done. "Those jewels were pretentious and snobby. They are better served to someone who would make use of them."

The demon still thought her as mad, but he was a thief, and why not steal from a family with help? He left her there and went off on his own.

The next time he came to the village, he found her in the valley as he was making his getaway. She smiled at him and nodded as if she had known he would come, though it was five years later.

"What have you taken this time?" she asked.

The demon looked at her suspiciously before flashing some gold jewelry and precious glass blocks. She laughed and commended him on a job well done. He left again. The next time he came back, a year later, he sent a hawk to her. It asked what he should steal. She wrote back, and said she would bring something to the valley.

They met and she handed him a hand mirror, brush, and bottles of perfume all made of silver and very valuable. When she smiled and told him to make haste, he grew angry and pinned her to the ground.

"Why is it that you do this for me?"

She shrugged as well as she could with his hands on her shoulders and smiled. "Guess I'm bored. So why not? Besides it's not stealing for me. They are practically my things and anyway, if someone caught me I wouldn't be killed."

He got off her and proceeded to argue. "But to do this for someone you don't know isn't logical."

"Ah! So you want to talk logistics!"

They spent the day arguing with each other and both enjoyed it. He came back a few months later, and a few months after that. They would argue or debate and just talk. It was fun to the woman and the demon never complained. After awhile he stopped accepting things from her, which just lead to another argument. It was one of the only ones he actually won.

Well, a couple of decades passed and the woman turned two hundred. She was sitting by the lake one day, just sitting. A terrible scent hit her nose. One of rot. Then… a monster came out and grabbed her. It was a demon. A wolf and a raven with a human's head. It bit her with fang and scratched with talon. It was bleeding out of nose, ear, and mouth and the blood between the two mixed. The demon screamed unintelligible words. The demon disappeared with the barking of wolves.

The girl, meanwhile, went back to her village. He family saw the mark and turned her away. They yelled and threw rocks at her. She ran into the forest, careful of the sickly sweet smell of rot. She snuck back into the house at night and used the skills the demon taught her. She took the last heirloom of her family. The twin swords studded with emeralds and rubies.

Her mark hurt terribly, agonizingly whenever she felt something. If she felt happy or mad too much, it burned and tortured her. If she felt sad or depressed, it whispered things in her head to make her resentful. She wanted to leave the mountains badly, for they held memories for her, each and every rock. But she couldn't. Or wouldn't. She was waiting for someone.

He came one day. She attacked him and sent him running… for his own good. The mark grew stronger each day... but that was an excuse. When she saw him she felt something and the mark hurt even more than anything. She needed him gone for her own sanity. So she made him go.

**A/N: Took awhile, but this is my longest chapter yet… probably longest chapter ever. Be thankful damn it! Oh and just to annoy you, any guesses you made on this are probably right, but there's a lot more to the story.**


	10. Chapter 9

**A/N: Did no one appreciate the horrible past of the last chapter? Come on people!**

**Disclaimer: Run hippies!**

"Who was the man, Miss Yurika?" Kato asked excitedly.

"Ne? You mean after all of that you would rather hear about a thief then know about what happened next?" Yurika asked, raising an eyebrow but not really surprised at all.

Kato nodded his head. "You said that you must know everything there is to know about a story before moving on."

Yurika's mouth twitched as she nodded. "Good. You see, Reseph? The boy is smart as well. I have made a good decision. By the time I am gone he will make a perfect Guardian. Come now, Kato, for you will hear neither the rest of the story nor the name of the demon. We will start your training today."

"Yes, Miss Yurika." Kato jumped up.

Yurika gently placed a hand on Kato's back. "Go outside while I wrap my arm up. Tell no one what you have heard."

"Yes Miss Yurika." Kato said, bobbing his curly head and running out of the room.

When he was gone, Yurika smirked and seated herself by Reseph again, who immediately began tending to her arm. Three triangular scratches going from the outside of her bicep with the points ending on the inside and one hole on either side of the red mark glared at the two demons. "It hurts telling the story even through another's mouth, does it not?" he asked, his bulging eyes concentrated.

"That it does." Yurika said, smiling slightly insanely. "But it was worth it." She shook him off and began wrapping her wound.

She left the room with her swords strapped to her waist. Everyone had left, save Hiei, who was living there now, and Jun, who lounged on the couch. Yurika barely spared them a glance before leaving the room.

"Where are you going, onna?" Hiei asked, annoyed.

"Outside."

"No."

"Yes." Yurika said, closing the back door behind her.



Kurama entered Genkai's temple. He found Hiei on the god-awful (but extremely comfortable) green couch. He seemed a bit perturbed. Kurama sent a quick glance around the room for Yurika. She was not there. Still not trusting her, he communicated with Hiei through his mind.

**What's wrong?**

**Hn. Nothing. **Hiei quickly looked away.

**Does it have to do with her?**

**Yes.**

**Then tell me now.**

**That didn't work on her and it's not going to work on me, fox.**

Kurama raised an eyebrow. **You were listening? **No answer. **I can tell there is something wrong with you, Hiei. Tell me and get it over with.**

**Sigh. Fine. The woman has been outside all night with the child, meditating. He's passed out three times during the night, and she refuses to let him come in. Happy?**

**No. **Kurama's fingers twitched in his version of clenching his hand. He knew that Yurika was unloving and cold… but to have a child outside all night was going much too far. He was ready to storm out the door, when it was slid back and Kato walked in, holding Yurika's two swords and looking extremely tired. Kurama bent on one knee.

"Kato, are you all right? Did Yurika push you too far?" He asked hurriedly, still concerned but trying hard to hold onto his anger.

Kato shook his head hard. "No! Miss Yurika is teaching me…" he seemed thoughtful for a minute. "Miss Yurika is teaching me something top secret. Shhhh…" He said, putting a finger to his lips.

Kurama nodded and Kato left. Yurika came back inside a moment later and Kurama tried his best to look intimidating, but under her familiar red-eyed glare, he shrunk a little. "Yurika, you can't keep a young boy outside all night like that!" He hissed.

"Might I remind you, Kurama, that he is my charge? Not only that, but he is a demon and though young, can make decisions for himself. He also agreed to the training." Yurika said coldly, moving past Kurama and to her room to change.

Kuama was slightly shocked. He had been expecting some sort of confrontation. But she had just put him in her assigned 'place' for him and moved away.

_Bitch._

_Must you…_

_Yes._

_As much as I agree with you, I'd prefer it if you would not._

_She's a bitch!_

The door slammed. Kurama looked up to see Hiei smirking and Jun looking at the door. "So that's what my cousin looks like when she's tired… How can she look the same?" Jun started to ramble.

Kurama lightly touched her arm and they left only to find when they got down the steps that Yurika already three blocks ahead of them. Suddenly, as she passed an alleyway, Taki rushed out and grabbed her by her arm. Kurama, suddenly remembering that it was his job to protect her sped up, pulling Jun with him. He was a block away when Taki threw Yurika over his shoulder. Kurama ditched the human thing and went as fast as he could go.

"Taki, I suggest you put her dow-"

"This skirt is too short for this!" Yurika yelled angrily.

She twisted and shifted her weight so that she was in a sitting position, legs straight out, and hanging onto Taki's arm. She let herself down and kicked his legs, making the boy go down. She punched his abdomen and Kurama was sure he heard something crack. She raised her hand up angrily- with her demon strength, even with her powers down' Taki was as good as dead. Kurama caught her arm and gave her a look that clearly said 'no.'

She glared at him before attempting, and failing, to wrench her arm away. She muttered something about not touching her. At that moment, the bakas decided to show up.

"Wow! Yurika, you did this?" Yusuke whistled as the woman righted her skirt with her free arm.

Kurama glared at him, something he noticed that he seemed to have picked up since Yurika came around. "It was wrong."

Yurika gave a small laugh-snort. "Hmmph, just as it is wrong to train Kato?" She stared daringly at Kurama. "How many people, or animals for that matter, would he have hurt just today if I let him go? There's a thin line between right and wrong, Kurama. You'd better learn it."

**A/N: not much to say, folks. Review!**


	11. Chapter 10

**A/N: Sooooooobbbbbbooooooooorrrrrrrrrrreeeeeddddd.**

**Disclaimer: If this will help you from ending up like me (see above) then I'll say it. I do not own Yuyu Hakusho.**

Amazingly, Yurika made it through the day without getting a detention or getting into any fights. Jun and her were able to go into the alleyway and she was able to picked herself up within two minutes. The pain was getting easier. Jun was carried yet again by Kuwabara, and Yusuke went off to meet Keiko. Hiei and Yurika walked behind them and didn't have another mind conversation. If Kurama weren't focusing on that morning, he would have actually been content.

But he was concentrating on that morning. _A thin line between right and wrong…_

_Like when I used to steal stuff. It was right, because I got to eat._

_Quiet. Her eyes… They seemed like they were trying to tell me something… something important…_

"Ow!" He tripped and landed o the steps of Genkai's temple, hitting his chest.

Only Kuwabara and Jun, who by now was walking, turned around. Kurama got up. And continued up to Genkkai's temple. The old woman was on the couch, reading.

"Genkai, may I use your pot and metal spoon?" Yurika asked politely. Kurama wondered why the old woman and the young demon got along so well.

Genaki managed a curt nod. Yurika disappeared into the kitchen, then crossed the living room and down the hallway. A second later there was banging and yelling. Kato came running out of the room, holding a tall staff, Yurika following, now in her normal clothes, looking bored and banging on the pot, and making the demons wince. She followed the boy outside and closed the door behind them.

Genkai grinned at the boys. "That's why I like her so much. She should take over for me when I retire."

Kurama heard sharp words outside. He left the house to make sure Kato was all right. Kato was attempting to hit Yurika with the long pole.

"Arms up!" Yurika said, before knocking the small boy to the ground.

He landed with a groan, before getting up again. Kurama was surprised to see that Yurika let him. He expected her to be more merciless. Kato once again tried to hit Yurika, and she had him on the ground a moment later. Kurama watched them like a hawk for a half hour before Yurika caught Kato's pole and pulled it out of his grasp. He stumbled forward from his thrust, and Yurika let him crash into her bony legs.

"This is taking too long. Run around the yard until you collapse." Yurika said, turning around. When Kato didn't move she turned so that one crimson eye glared at him. "I wasn't kidding."

The boy snapped to attention and began to run around the yard. Yurika moved past Kurama and into the house, poles in hand. She was back a second later, a shovel with Reseph in it in hand. She ignored him and sat down on the grass. She sat still for a few seconds while Reseph smoldered.

Kurama raised an eyebrow, as a grown man's arm seemed to solidify and move out of the moving fire to grab a stick. He reminded himself that Reseph was a lightning demon not a fire demon, therefore able to solidify easily.

"Why are you here, fox?" Yurika asked stonily.

Kurama jumped but kept calm. "To make sure you don't kill your ward." He said, returning her tone. He hadn't been this cold to anyone except demons trying to kill him since… when he lived in the Maki.

"Ohhhh… bad words buddy." Reseph said.

"I would never be that careless." Yurika said in a monotone her eyes were closed and she seemed to be meditating.

Kurama wasn't sure how to respond, so he didn't and continued to stand in silence. A half hour later, Kato seemed to drag himself across the yard, but did not complain. Genaki came out.

"Wow, and Yusuke complained when I taught him." She went back in.

A few minutes later, Yurika's eyes snapped open. "Kato." She said, not bothering to raise her voice, though he was on the other side of the yard.

The boy walked over, going as fast as his tired legs could. He bowed. "Yes, Miss Yurika?"

"Sit." The boy did as she told him. "Do not be afraid."

Yurika's hand reached for the shovel. She picked Reseph up, and slid and hand under the flame. A moment later, Reseph was in the boy's hand and flames engulfed him. Kurama started forward with a cry.

"What the hell?" He rushed forward, but Yurika neatly tripped him.

Both got a glazed look over their eyes. In the same moment, they were both hit by deja vu (A/N: My computer won't let me spell that right). A teasing, a laugh, a stomp, a trip. Yurika moved her head slightly, her version of shaking the memory away.

She turned back to him. "If you cannot handle the lesson, then I suggest that you do not attend the class." She said coldly.

At that moment, Jun came outside. She seemed to disregard the burning boy, and went straight for Kurama. "Are you all right? Come on, let me help you." She helped him to his feet and practically dragged him inside with more tact than the fan girls in school could manage.

She checked him for injuries and demanded he stay inside and wait for soup. He looked outside longingly. One side of him really hoped Kato would be okay, but another side of him basically yelled at him for thinking he would be anything but. He frowned. _That was the old Yurika. But still… he's a child._



Yurika glared after the two. She didn't know why she felt angry with them for leaving. _I'm not jealous, please. I… want them to know that I'm not hurting… OW! _Her hand clapped over her mark.

"How does it feel, Kato?" She asked, wincing slightly with the pain of her mark.

"Tickly. In my head and in my stomach." The boy replied. "Miss Yurika, how come my hand looks like this?"

Yurika lurched forward. Nothing physical should have changed but… his right hand was twice the size of his left! She remembered when he first came to her, running away from his mother. She had taken him in, and ignored the spiky scent of bad alchemy. She had watched him for six months, but obviously not close enough.

"Oh, Kato. What did they do to you?"

**A/N: Uh-oh. Problems? Yes. Review.**


	12. Chapter 11

**A/N: Last chapter, the last sentence got a little confusing because she said 'they' and not 'she'. You'll see why.**

**Disclaimer: Yuyu Hakusho is not owned by me. I'm just some loser that has too much time on her hands.**

_"Help! Help me!"_

_Yurika's head snapped up from the ornate wooden table. She ran her fingers through her shoulder length inky black hair and sighed. It had been a long night. Hell, she hadn't even changed out of her bloodstained clothes._

_"Did you hear something?" She asked Reseph, who was sitting in his huge fireplace that looked like the mouth to some ferocious beast._

_He shrugged his non-existent shoulder. "Maybe it's the guilt from all those demons you slay on a daily basis. Ow!" He cried as a dagger went straight through his head and into the back of the fireplace. His arm solidified and touched his forehead tenderly._

_"That hurts, you know."_

_"Help! Please!"_

_"Shh… I know I heard something."_

_Yurika opened the door to the crumbling castle. It was basically a wide tower. The top floors were inaccessible due to the moss and weeds growing out the top. It was built on a balding hill, and its yards were filled with stones and brown grass. A black spiked fence surrounded the house. A curving line of cracked stepping-stones went down to the gate, or where it would have been if some snake demon hadn't torn it off before meeting its demise. _

_A speck of bright color was on the horizon. That was unusual. This was a dismal and deserted place in the Maki. There was no one and as far as Yurika knew the nearest living thing was the forest thirteen miles in the distance. Who but the young hermit would dare tread on this unknown ground?_

_Apparently, a small earth demon. He ran straight at her and hugged her legs. __**No… No… A child… **__She thought, clutching her arm. The boy stared up at her with wide, teary eyes, and no matter the pain to her, she couldn't turn him away. She smelt a sharp musty smell. Alchemy, but it was awfully done._

_"Please…" he said, before a woman came stomping up._

_"Get over here you worm! I haven't finished…"_

_The boy shrunk into Yurika's legs, little leaves sprouting on the top of his head. Apparently, he was more afraid of this woman than he was of a hermit out in the middle of nowhere, wearing bloodstained clothes and had two swords at her hips._

_"Silence." Yurika said icily. The smell clung to the women, and the black in her eyes showed that she was deranged. The child wouldn't last with her._

_Two men came up over the horizon. One young, the other old, both smelling of the alchemy and the elder actually holding some powerful object or the other in his hand. Yurika didn't like them, and her arm was starting to ache, as she got more and more angry._

_"Young one, go inside and stay away from the windows." She commanded. The treeling looked up at her unsure for a moment but did as he was told._

_Yurika waited until she heard a door slam before looking the woman in the eyes again. They stared at each other for a second before the woman marched forward, towards the house. The moment she put her foot on one of the faded stepping-stones, Yurika lazily took out a sword and cut off her head. She died without a sound._

_The men's eyes grew wide. "Yo… you just killed her… just like…she was nothing." The young one said, trembling._

_"She was, and if you don't want to end up like her, you'll leave this place and never return." Yurika said, baring her small fangs._

_The men were gone a moment later. Yurika sighed. She looked up at the castle. The sun was setting in the west, so it was casting a shadow in the east, to the left of the front door. She picked up the corpse and walked back up the hill. She peeked in the windows to see the boy in conversation with Reseph. Throwing the body into the shadow, which devoured it, she went inside._

_The little boy was giggling. He was rather cute in that baby blue… no! She quickly moved to a chest that was against the fireplace. She threw some clothes at him._

_"Put these on." The boy started to undress. "Not in here!" Yurika said._

_Though her tone was annoyed, she thought him to be adorable… which was bad. She led him to a seemingly out of place to door and into a room. She left and ignored Reseph when he tried to start conversation with her. The child came out with his clothes folded neatly. _

"_What should I do with these, ma'am?" He asked._

"_Name's Yurika. And aren't you a little old to be wearing baby blue…" she looked at the clothes again, "sailor suits?" _

_The little boy looked down at the pile of clothes in his hand. "Yes, but my mama wants to keep me young cause I'm her last baby." He scrunched up his nose. "I don't like it when she does that."_

_Yurika seemed to take no heed of his words. She motioned to Reseph. "Feed the fire, kid."_

_The child threw the clothes at Reseph, who burned them and chuckled like a small child getting a treat. When the child threw the little hat, Reseph caught it with his solid arm and twirled it around once. He mumbled something about not eating something that smelled like it did, and he threw it to the back of the fireplace, where it wouldn't get burned._

_The boy looked around, and Yurika followed his eyes. For the first time in thirty years, she felt self-conscious. She had never dusted, washed, or done any type of cleaning in the castle. Spider wriggled their legs from the ceiling as if saying hello and rotting food could be seen in the sink. She absolutely despised cleaning, so she just didn't do it._

"_What's your name, kid?" she asked, tearing her eyes away from one particularly bad offender of dust bunny._

_The boy turned his eyes from the scroll-covered table to look at her. "Me? I'm Kato." He smiled sweetly._



"So what do you think?" Yurika asked in a low tone to Reseph.

His body bulged as he shrugged. "I really can't say. There are multiple spells that do that to demons, but the ones I know of aren't them. You should have listened to me when I told you forty years ago to see if the kid was okay. Now you'll have to go back to the source."

"Back to those two men!" Yurika hissed. "How the hell am I supposed to find them? In case you don't remember, I can't access my wolf side for the next month!"

"Well, you could ask the fox demon…"

"No."

"You just need to ask for his help."

"No."

"Even not for Kato?"

Yurika glanced over to the bed. "Why can't I ask Hiei?"

"He's a fire demon and even if he could smell them out, he wouldn't be able to find the two original men." Reseph looked at Yurika expectantly.

She cursed under her breath. "I hate you so much right now."

"But you love…"

"I love no one. I just happen to hate Kato a lot less than the rest of the world. And as of this point, I will do this for him." Yurika said stubbornly. She touched the mark, though surprisingly felt nothing. She put her back against the brick, half of the length of her legs falling off the ledge and fell asleep.

**A/N: Yay! Time for some Tension. Review!**


	13. Chapter 12

**A/N: … mumble, mumble…**

**Disclaimer: Okay, seriously, no longer able to be perky when you guys come into the room. **

"Genkai, where is everyone?" Yurika asked, tugging at the short skirt. She wanted to get what she had to do over with quickly.

Genkai eyed her from the couch. "It's Sunday. There is no school today, girl. Yusuke and the baka will be over soon."

_Kuso. _"I understand. May I use the human talking device?"

"You mean the phone? Go ahead." Genkai waved an uncaring hand, though Yurika knew that her interest was grazed.

She went back into the room and changed while Kato slept into her usual black tank top and pants. She frowned. Her collarbone stuck out pointedly. She shook her head. _I need to eat more… without my powers; I'm loosing too much weight. _She left the room and picked up the phone. Kurama's number (as well as Yusuke's and Kuwabara's) was on the fridge. She winced as it wrung in her ear, but swallowed her distaste for human appliances for Kato.

"Hello?" Kurama's cheery voice could be heard from the other line.

Yurika made a mental note to ask someone how the thing works. "It's Yurika." She said monotonously.

"Did something happen?" Kurama said, slightly scared.

"Not what you are thinking. I need your help."

"Why is that?" Kurama asked, slightly suspicious.

"Kato. Are you coming or not?"

There was a moment's silence. "Let me ask my mother." There was some calling on the other line until he came back. "I'll be there in an hour."



Kurama entered the house warily. Yurika the ice queen, the homicidal maniac, asking for his help? It was an impossibility. It felt suspicious but… it also felt somewhat normal and nice. Yurika was standing against the wall in the living room, glaring at Kuwabara, who was currently yelling at the top of his lungs about he was going to beat Yusuke (ignoring the fact that television screen already showed him as the winner).

She looked up when he entered and signaled him with a curt nod. He followed her to her room, ignoring the catcalls and rather embarrassing comments that Kuwabara and Yusuke seemed to love to throw out. She closed the door quietly behind her as Kurama looked around the room.

He smiled inwardly at the little square marks in the carpet that were from where the bed used to be placed. Yurika had always liked to rearrange rooms and the furniture. The funniest time was when she somehow attached a table upside-down to the ceiling of her room and slept in that instead of the bed.

A mirror glared at him from the same wall as the door. It was large, a foot and a half off the ground and a foot from the ceiling. In each corner of the silver frame, there was a little design like a pinwheel, no bigger than three inches in diameter.

He noticed the sleeping boy, and the fire that was looking in his direction. Yurika nodded as if given some silent command and sat on the edge of the bed, looking at Kato. Kurama stepped over and reached for Kato. As his hand moved for the boy, it was at the same speed that Yurika's sword reached for his hand, which he saw, but didn't really register what she was doing. When his hand was an inch away, the flat of her blade rested on his hand.

Kurama looked over at her. She was holding the blade tiredly, and her grip was not tight. He could have pulled it right out of her hands, and probably would have, if he didn't know that he would be dead seconds later. He slowly moved his hand away. Yurika kept her sword where it was, sheathing it only when he had moved one step away.

"I'll be right back." She muttered. "Don't touch anything." She gave a pointed look towards Kato. She left the room and they could hear her talking to Genkai and Hiei. Kurama sat down on the ledge of the fireplace.

"You know, she really just saved you. Spells like that tend to spread through touch." Kurama jumped. He had forgotten that the fire could speak.

"Spells like what?" he asked, leaning in closer and fully expecting an answer.

"Erm…"

"That's what you're here for." Yurika had reentered the room.

"I… Genaki's a lot better at identifying spells…"

"There is no need to involve the humans." Yurika said. "We need your sense of smell. Come on." She said, turning away from him and to the wall.

Kurama grabbed her arm. The skin was cold. "Yurika, I expect you to answer my questions. All of them." He said, locking his green eye to her red.

Yurika sighed. "Fine. Thirty or forty years ago, I met a young Earth demon named Kato. He was running away from his family. He smelt strongly of bad alchemy and I fully expected something bad to happen. I waited three days and there was no change. So, like a fool, I decided to wait it out. Nothing happened except the fact that he never aged. By now he should have physically aged three years or so, but he remains the small boy I saved all those years ago. Still, like a fool, I watched and waited. Yesterday, I had to find out when his hundredth birthday was, or if he had passed it. I began the ceremony, Reseph should have been able to see into him and known. But… something happened and Kato's hand got much bigger. It's been spreading up his arm and I've given him a drug, to stop the pain. Growing bones and stretching muscles is not a pleasant process. I know how it feels, and so do you, if you remember as well as I."

Kurama nodded and self-consciously touched the back of his neck. "I remember, if only vaguely."

Yurika nodded. "I have something at the castle that will lead us to the last of his family, the ones who did that to him." Kurama tried not to gasp. In her red eye, she was looking at him the same way she had when she would tell him in the past about whatever it was she was determined to do. "I need you to lead us to them."

Kurama was slightly put out. He didn't like the idea of being a dog. "Why should I? You know I will help you, but what should I get n return."

Yurika smirked. "There it is. I was wondering when the real Youko Kurama would come out. Fine, fox-boy. I won't threaten to kill you anymore."

Kurama eyed her suspiciously. In the past, he had loved her mind. One of the ways he had gotten to know that she was as clever as a fox was the fact that she could twist words to suit her purposes, like in a chess game.

She gave him a grin, and fleetingly looked like she did so many years ago. "And I won't actually do it, either." She stepped towards the mirror. She took the dial on the bottom right corner and turned it half a rotation. She touched the mirror and it rippled, like the surface of water. Hand still on the mirror, she turned to him and held out her other hand. "Coming."

Kurama hesitated only a moment before putting his hand in hers, and being pulled into the mirror.

**A/N: Review! **


	14. Chapter 13

**A/N: I'm really, really sorry that I can't update more often. School's such a drag.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yuyu Hakusho. Who would want to own Kuwabaka anyway?**

Kurama stopped abruptly and Yurika skidded to a quick halt behind him. Together they stood in front of a house, which was very neither big nor very small. It was obvious that some parts of the building was not used, and crawling vines of weeds worked their way into the building through windows and the chimney. The woodwork wasn't fine in any sense and there were no architectural wonders about the place. In fact, it would be absolutely and completely commonplace and forgettable if it weren't for its obvious plainness, the lack of windows, and some curious black marks in some of the places in the walls.

"This the place?" Yurika asked.

Kurama nodded. "Yes, I saw a picture of young Kato in here a few months ago. I was arresting one of the sons for illegal practicing of alchemy. As far as I know, he's still in Spirit Prison and his father and sister still live here."

Yurika nodded. "You wait out here."

"No." Kurama stated firmly. "Your powers are basically nil and I'm ordered to help and protect you."

Yurika sighed. "Kurama, what I'm about to do isn't exactly legal, hell me being here isn't exactly legal since we're supposed to stay in the human world." She looked at him fiercely. "If you try to arrest me…"

"I know. You're going to kill me." Kurama raised his hands up in surrender and as a show of good faith. "Don't worry. I won't tell anyone."

Yurika gave him a thin-lipped smile. "I'm glad we have an understanding. But…" She wavered for a moment. "I think it's obvious I'm not the same person I once was…"

"Really? I hadn't noticed." Kurama said, his tone light and casual.

"I suppose I deserved that." Yurika growled, but she didn't look fierce at all. In fact, Kurama could have sworn he saw a hint of remorse behind her guarded red eyes. "Anyway, my fighting and interrogating style isn't the same, so I suggest you stay out of it."

Kurama sighed heavily. "If that is what you wish, I will only intervene if necessary."

"I am grateful." Yurika said mechanically. She was preoccupied with fixating her swords to a better position on her hip. "Let's go.

She stepped up to the door. She knocked on it. She waited for a moment and knocked again, louder and longer. When there was no answer she sighed and rolled her red eyes toward Kurama.

"And this is where the fun begins." Yurika said with a gleam in her eye.

A moment later, the door was splinters on the brown grass. Yurika kicked at the bronze hinges that were hanging halfway off the doorframe. She eyes Kurama warily, as if expecting him to grab her and drag her back to the Rekki at any second. When he just stood there, with his hands behind his back and smiling, she shrugged and entered the house, Kurama tailing after her.

Kurama, being quite tall, had to duck a bit to get into the house. It was dimly lit, but he could tell that this was not a normal house. It smelled spiky, sour and smoky at the same time. It made Kurama's eyes water and rubbed his throat raw. There was no furniture, and only a single shelf stood out lonely from the wall, with bottles and books perched precariously on top of it. There was a starched goat hide pulled across one of the wall. It probably once was white and taunt, but now it had been yellowed and black mottled and hung loosely across the small opening.

He looked to the back wall, and saw what he was looking for. It was an oil painting of a very large family, though it was more aged and there were quite a few more stab marks though the youngest boy's, Kato's, forehead.

The room had never been painted, but the walls were black with smoke damage and mildewed from water spoiling . In the center of the floor, there was a fire pit, where the floorboards had been roughly scratched away to reveal dirt below. Blackened cinders lay in the pit, with silver utensils sitting next to it. Kurama frowned and approached the pit, while Yurika went to the shelf and picked up a book.

The silver utensils were the only things that had not tarnished. There was something that looked like a corkscrew for a champagne bottle, a spoon, a fire poker, and an assembly of knives. Kurama tentatively touched them. They were cool to the to his fingers, despite the heat of the room. He picked them up. The corkscrew was light and most likely made of tin or aluminum. The spoon and fire poker were heavier, but not quite what he would describe as heavy. The knives were definitely heavy and made of a different material than that of the others.

_Why would they need these?_ He thought. _They weren't here before, when I came last time… but they had known I was coming. _

_The smell…_ Youko was cringing.

_Yes, that has been bothering me as well._ Kurama agreed with his other half.

"Kurama!" Yurika hissed. "Move your fox ass before it gets seen!"

Kurama lifted his head from his work and jumped to where she was hiding behind the goat's hide. Yurika was tense, and looked prepared to spring. Two men came from the downstairs and exclaimed over the broken down door. One looked like a teenage Kato, no cheekbones, bright green eyes and brown curls. The other man was wizened, but obviously strong. He was probably Yurika and Kurama's ages mixed. Kurama could detect no great amount of ki, but both looked physically well built. If they weren't careful, the younger one might do something stupid and hasty.

As soon as both their backs were turned, Yurika swiftly and silently cam out form the room, and Kurama followed behind her. With a half yell, Yurika leaped upon the younger one, pinning him to the floor. The older man raised a knotted cane that Kurama had not seen before to Yurika's unsuspecting back.

"Rosewhip!"

The can snapped in two, and the man fell to the ground, unconscious. Yurika turned from where she was struggling to restrain the younger man, who was screaming, and nodded gratefully to him. Her right arm jerked a bit before she went back to her work.

She lifted the man with some difficulty and pinned him to the wall. She unhanded him, and before he could run away, she unsheathed her double katanas and crossed them in an X formation across his throat, the sharp points of the familiar blades easily sliding into the moldy wall, like a steak knife through butter.

A young woman with straight dirty hair came running down the staircase. When she saw the intruders, she screamed. Kurama calmly went up the steps and slapped her. When she looked at him with terrified eyes, he tried to make his face soften.

"If you do not fight back, you won't get hurt. We just need some information on a little boy that lived here a couple of decades ago." He turned his attention back to Yurika.

She growled at the petrified and immobile man. "What the hell did you to Kato?"

**A/N: I know I'm an awful person for holding this poor chapter hostage for so long. Review!**


	15. Chapter 14

**A/N: Dude, it feels like forever since I worked on this story! But that's not totally my fault! I accidentally skipped this on my rotation for my stories, so I worked on a different story when it was actually this chapter's turn to get written. Yes, I am aware that half of you did not understand a word of that.**

**Disclaimer: I wrote up this really long, intricate disclaimer that would explain to you exactly how I do not own Yuyu Hakusho, but then I read the author's note again and realized I was just wasting my time, because you probably would not understand the disclaimer if you could not understand that. Then I got really depressed because my entire work was ruined. Now, I'm depressed because half of you skipped the stupid disclaimer, and the only reason that the rest of you are reading the disclaimer is because it is longer than some of my paragraphs (yes, I'll make up for it later). Now that I am out of my spiraling depression, I am ready for another go down that twisty whirlpool of disappointment. So, let's sound it out together: I-d-o-n-o-t-o-w-n-y-u-y-u-h-a-k-u-s-h-o.**

**Important Note: Some people have irises with practically no line while others have irises with a lot of line. Yurika's have a lot of lines, which gives her the been-through-a-lot look. Jun has the clear, childish eyes.**

The man's lip quivered. Yurika pressed the katanas closer to his throat. Her voice was icy, but Kurama detected more emotion behind it than he had heard from her in seventy years. "I'll say this one more time, what did you do to Kato? That young treeling?"

The old man on the floor made a strangled sound, but Kurama pierced him with a glare. He came closer to him. "It would be prudent, for you to stay silent."

Yurika's arm stopped quivering so, and she leaned more heavily against the swords.

The demon swallowed, and the bulge where his Adam's apple was, was cut. "I… that was not me… it was my mother… you killed her, I saw you. I didn't know anything back then, I was just an apprentice. I… only watched…"

"I did not ask for who was involved." Yurika was deadly clam, but Kurama could see from his vantage point that her right arm was quivering violently. "The spell, demon. I want the spell."

"It's the…." The man gasped. "Aldebrand's Youth Enchantment!" No sooner than when he had said this, was he dropped to the floor.

Yurika easily bent down, keeping her back semi-straight and bending her knees. Her tone was agreeable, as the man whimpered on the floor. "You see, that was not so hard. But," her tone dropped to dangerously low levels, "if you are lying, not even Lord Yamma himself will help you." She picked him up roughly by his hair, and faced him to Kurama. "I made a deal to get him to bring me to you, and the gods know, I can make another one. Understand?"

The man nodded his head wildly. Yurika threw him loftily in the direction of the kitchen. He flew threw the wall with an almost wet crunch. Yurika sheathed her swords, and, without casting another red eye around the room, marched out the door, straight-backed. Kurama glared at the two, disgusted at what they could do to a boy as sweet as Kato, and followed Yurika.

They ran to the edge of the village. The sun was setting and it was getting cold, as this part of the Maki retained no heat from the sun. Yurika seemed ready to say something, to do something. If had been human, Kurama would have expected her to cry, as they seemed so inclined to do. Had she been a normal demon, he would have expected some sort of acknowledgement. But she was not, and he did not.

They were running again in seconds. As it had been seen but never proven, the journey back took much less time than the journey there. Two hours later, Yurika was sneezing and cursing at the dust that seemed to float in the air.

"Wait." Yurika turned around from the mirror, where they had been waiting for the portal to open.

She went to the small table on the ground and picked up some old scissors. For some odd reason, Kurama suddenly remembered an American movie that his mother had bought for him when he was younger, 'Hercules'. The scissors reminded him strongly of the shears the old hags used when they cut the lifeline of a person. Of course, Kurama, being close to six hundred and two at the time, knew that this was completely ridiculous, and had tried to explain this to his mother, who only smiled and patted his head saying, 'that's right baby, those are mean old biddies.' It was only a few years later that he learned that the gobbled language that babies spoke did not reach ears as anything more than 'goo-goo-ga-ga'.

Yurika moved in front of Kurama, and reached a hand out to prepare the mirror. She stood still for a few moments, as if considering something. Sighing irritably, she turned back around and looked at Kurama tiredly. "I'm not going to say this on the other side, but I want to say it. Thanks, Kurama. You've made this immeasurably easier. And…" Yurika sighed and seemed to be struggling for words.

Kurama smiled slightly. "Some things don't need to be said." He frowned. Yurika's arm was trembling again. "Yurika, may I ask you something?"

Yurika gave a ghost of a smile. "You may ask me anything, but there is no guarantee that I will answer."

"You're much wiser then when I knew you." Kurama said lightly.

"When you knew me, I was a child." Yurika said, shrugging. "I wasn't much better than Jun." Kurama's eyes widened as hers turned back into the clear, childish eyes (A/N: See Important Note) that he had seen so many times an existence ago. "But that's not what you want to say, is it?"

Kurama snapped back into reality as Yurika's eyes went back to normal. "No…I was wondering… why is it that your arm trembles so… and why your so different… and why…" Kurama was exciting himself and Youko's yelling inside his head wasn't helping.

Yurika placed a hand on his shoulder, as if afraid he would begin jumping around in his excitement. "Kurama… calm down… you're talking too fast. We've got to go, it's almost ten in the human world." Befjore he could say another word, she had maneuvered around him, turned the dial on the mirror, and flipped through.



Yurika landed on the other side, cat-like, and moved to Kato's bed, pretending to wipe sweat from his brow. Her heart was beating wildly, and her arm hurt terribly. _Damn it, what am I going to tell him?_

"He asked, didn't he?" Reseph asked from the fireplace. "You know… you could just tell him…"

"No, I won't be able to handle it," Yurika said. "The mark's grown a centimeter since we've come here, what do you think will happen if I face him?"

The mirror rippled before Reseph could reply. Kurama stepped through, his face overcast. When he saw Yurika bending over the small boy, his face moved from disturbed to extremely worried. He moved over quickly.

"Is he going to be okay?" Kurama asked quietly, looking as if he wanted to touch the Kato's brow and check him for fever, but knew he should not.

Yurika sighed. "It appears, in order to borrow Genkai's books, the humans will have to be involved to some degree. I hope so…" Yurika's arm prickled. "I… mean… I would not want to loose my apprentice."

Kurama stared at her until Yurika nearly fidgeted uncomfortably. Finally, he said, "I know what you mean. And I'm sure that he'll be just fine."

As he said this, he placed a comforting hand on Yurika's shoulder. Yurika wanted desperately to shake it off, because her arm went far beyond the prickle and into an all-out ache. She felt she owed it to him at the very least to not be so frosty. It seemed that she had not been warm enough, though, because a minute later, Kurama sighed and left. The door shut behind him.

Yurika went over and sat on the lip of the shelf for the fireplace. She put her head in her hands and let out a strangled noise, wretched and animal-like.

"You won't be, you know." Reseph said, referring to what Kurama said.

"I know," Yuika said, panting from the pain her arm was causing her.

"What are you going to do?" He questioned.

"Nothing." Yurika spat. "Until Kato is squared away."

Reseph sighed. "Time runs short as it is, running shorter now that that fox is affecting you…"

"He is not affecting me!" Yurika hissed. "I know what has to be done, Reseph. By Yamma, I'll do it." Yurika did not hold a bright spark of determination like usual, instead they were misted over. "I know what has to be done." She repeated.

**A/N: I feel like this chapter is complete crap, but I can't take leaving it here anymore.**


	16. Chapter 15

**A/N: Okay, I know that the last few chapters have been sort of lack luster, but I'm thinking about starting another story. (For those of you who read my Trinity Blood story, yeah, I know I'm trying to do too much.) It's not exactly the best story line, but I think I can make a few twists in the plot. Besides, it would probably end up better than this story, though I would still work on this story. It would probably be Hiei/Oc. Would anyone read it?**

**Disclaimer: Don't.**

"Yurika! Get the hell out of… mmmph!" Yusuke's screaming was cut short buy Yurika's door smacking him in the face.

"I'm coming," Yurika said stonily.

She brushed past Yusuke and down the hallway. She walked into the living room and stopped in front of Genkai, who was sitting on the soft (though horribly colored) pea green couch. The woman finished her sentence in her book before turning her attention to the young demoness in front of her.

"What?" Genkai said shortly.

"Kato will not awaken today; he is sick. Reseph will provide for him, so do not disturb the kid. I also will like to ask for access to your library after… school," Yurika said this all quickly, as if she was a general giving a report.

Genkai raised an eyebrow. "And why would you want that?"

Yurika gave a small smile. "I am not a healer, and Kato's affliction is one of demonic nature, as one would expect from a demon."

"I could help." Genaki said; it was not an offer, but a statement.

Yurika's smile was easy, "You take care of yours and I will take care of mine. Together, we will help each other, yes?

Genkai nodded, "Deal."

Yusuke looked from each of them as if they had started talking elfish. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU GUYS TALKING ABOUT?!" He exclaimer, stomping his feet like a child.

Yurika looked at him. "It seems that you spirit detectives are far more helpful than I had originally believed." She left the room without saying anything else.



"Shuichi!"

Kurama's neck nearly snapped as he lifted his head of his desk quickly, "ye… yes?"

"I said, come up to the board and solve this problem," his teacher said impatiently.

"Yessir," Kurama said, slurring his words as he tiredly got up from his desk and went to the board.

He solved the problem with ease, and walked back to his seat, looking slightly smug when his teacher gaped at his speed.

**Oh, bad kit. You used your demon brain. **Yoko internally teased.

It was true. Usually, Kurama would stare at a problem and at least pretend to be perplexed for a few seconds before solving the equation in seconds flat. Of course, Yoko had no knowledge of how to solve certain "useless" (as he called them) problems when he was in the Maki, but once Kurama (and thus, Yoko) got a few years education in a human school, they could solve complex algorithms with barely thinking.

_Shut up. _Kurama thought sourly.

He was in a bad mood. He had not been sleeping well lately and with last night's adventure, he had not slept at all. His mind was plagued with thoughts of Yurika meant with her little cryptic statements. He growled mentally. Never before had a woman been this frustrating.



Yurika sighed. She was eager to get back to the temple and barricade her in the room with the book Genkai had promised to loan her. _How had is only been four days… The detective was right. This is hell._

Her attention was brought to Jun, who was sitting in a row farther up from her own, back row. The girl was flirting shamelessly with a handsome human male. Yurika eyes narrowed. _I told Hiei that I would speak to Koenma about her, but I doubt that he will do anything… she's just too… something. Hm… I used to be able to put on a smile and do anything I wished as well. _Yurika's arm began to burn lightly; a warning to go no farther into her nostalgic reverie.

_Still, she's __**different.**_Yurika pulled herself back to her train of thought. _Something's not right about her, and I know it. _Yurika growled slightly. _I'll have to do something about her before I leave. _

**Leave where, onna?**

Yurika jumped and, for a moment, her arm seared before she got herself under control. Slowly she looked around. As her eyes caught the window, she a smudge of black standing on the large oak tree. Hiei. She had been able to tell from the 'voice', but seeing was better than listening to voices in her head. He nodded to her for a moment before jumping to the higher branches to avoid being seen.

_No where you need be concerned about._

**Tell me. **

Yurika sighed; Hiei was her bodyguard but they did not hate each other. Occasionally they would have meaningful talks that would allow Yurika to forget her curse for a time. They were not enemies, but they were a far way away from being friends.

_If you must know, I have some personal business to take care of in the Maki._

**Hn. If I weren't your body guard, I wouldn't ask: what?**

_I don't like to repeat myself and I believe I recall telling you before when you last asked; I can't tell you without causing extreme physical and mental pain to myself, which, as my bodyguard, it is your job to prevent._ Yurika inwardly smirked. She might have been half wolf demon, but her wit "was all fox" as Youko used to describe it.

**What is your relationship to Kurama?**

"Ah!" The question had caught her so off guard, Yurika's elbow, which had already been resting so close to the edge, fell off, thus causing her to go tumbling to the floor.

Stares were drawn to her form as she picked herself up with as cool demeanor as possible. The teacher did not seem overly concerned; he or she (Yurika had never been able to tell which, as his or her nose was constantly buried in a book or in the dust of the chalkboard.) seemed absorbed in their book. A small giggle was heard. No one else would have known it, but Yurika could tell it was Jun's laugh; it started at a soprano pitch, but then moved two octaves lower in the span of four seconds before it would end. Yurika might have been cold and ruthless on the outside, but she knew people and she memorized things about them faster than most could; just in case she had to rescue them. Even if she disliked the person, no harm would befall them (or anyone) as long as breath was in her lungs.

When she righted herself, she heard Hiei's voice in her head again.

**I expect an answer to my question, onna.**

_You know, Hiei, you're not as bad as people perceive you to be. _

**Stop avoiding the question.**

_I'm not. _Yurika paused as the final bell rang, hurting her sensitive ears and sending a jolt of light through the back of her eyes. As people started leaving, Yurika gave one last look at the window. _I'll talk to you today, on the edges of the forest outside Genkai's, just make sure no one knows where we're going._

**Hn. See you there, onna. I expect answers.**

_You'll get them._

**A/N: Review!!**


	17. Chapter 16

**A/N: I really have nothing new to say every time I create a new Author's note so every time I do this, you are getting an odd insight to my life; I hate math class!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yuyu Hakusho, never will because even if I had the chance to buy out whoever owns it, I would much rather use the money for something much cooler… like a monkey… yeah a monkey.**

The spasms wracking Yurika's body stopped as quickly as they had come, her eyes fluttered with the uncomfortable heat in her muscles. There had not been that much pain this time; by next week there would be none, whether from her body adapting or the powers being received were becoming weaker she did not know. Yurika leaned her head against the cool brick of the building; vaguely she could feel her long hair sticking to her back and neck.

That was the only thing that she liked about having to abandon her home. Her short hair was a symbol to her of adventure and becoming more like her belov… her very much liked Youko. How wrong she was; there was no adventure, just one fight after another (eventually she would learn the 'look' that would keep even the worst of demons away). The fights tore at her young person's optimism for a new life. A few months later (no long period, not even by human's account), she had traveled enough (of course her being one of the faster learners would help) to be as wise in the ways of the harsh world as the most hardened of demons.

Anyone who knew the story she had told to Kato and met her on the street would think that the bite she received from her mother (for there is no denying it at this point: she was the last of the Hito Isei lineage and her mother was the pitiful soul that was betrayed by her lover and tried to kill her daughter) bred the mind-set she harbored now; bitter, angry, and alone.

No, she had tried, in the beginning, to be with others. She had joined groups of thieves, detectives, and everything in the middle for some amount of contact. Hell, she even tracked down the scent of her father (which lingered in those evil mountains of Kusabana) and found she that had a half-brother, Morrio (recently deceased), who now ran the faction of thieves her father used to (the only way she knew the second half of her story was because she had beaten Morrio until she got the full account of her parents). These thieves were neither giving nor warm, unlike Youko. Still, even then, she had to leave the group. It was always the same; she would get attached, the pain would be too great and she would disappear. In the end there was nothing for it, she left the real world for a world of her own, rarely venturing out for food and contact when she was desperate. Her bitterness and anger fermented out alone, with none but a I'm-too-wise-for-petty-problems lighting demon and small child (or so she had thought, until twenty four hours ago) for company, adding to her pain like salt to an open wound; she had grown attached, but she could not bear to let them go.

She was not angry at them, her little family that sent fires of agony through her being; the world, cold and hateful thing it was; or even Youko, that painful, handsome son of a bitch. She spent long hours in her room, sobbing for her lose lo… friendship. Of course, this just added to her agony exuding from her arm and to her hate swirling in the pit of hell that was her heart. She hated the woman (if the wretch could be called that), Okanan, who did this to her, who caused this. That day of the attack, surprisingly, faded from her mind. She remembered the stench, the feeling, and the first look, but nothing more. If she went to look for this creature, she would not tell it from any other piece of filth that she came across until she killed it.

The words, she had heard them without hearing them. The spell Okanan put on her. The words were fuzzy to her and there was nothing she could do until she remembered all of them; there was something important in the words, and she could not act on the ones she knew alone. Besides, she could only remember one line, and the only reason that she remembered that was because through her pain that was when she realized the thing was speaking (she also remembered her absorbed incredibility that such a creature _could_ talk).

_Kore mato imei not fe-do_

_Mitei…_

That was where her memory ended. But she was hoping to remedy that tonight.

In the forest.



Kurama tried to use his body to cover Jun's as the girl shook on the ground. Yusuke was trying to pin her down as much as possible, so she would not hurt herself, and Kurama and Kuwabara stood, trying to keep the other students from seeing. They were failing miserably, of course, and soon a girl with blonde, bouncy pigtails came up to them.

"Is she okay?" The girl spoke not with concern for another human's (as far as she knew, anyway) wellbeing, but for a chance to talk and make herself seem concerned. When she went home that night, she would call her friends and tell them that she walked up to a cute boy that was doing something strange and when they asked why, she would say that a girl was having a problem. Jun's pain was just an interesting speck in her life.

"Yes," Kurama gritted as Jun's nail connected with his leg.

"What's wrong with her?"

"Nothing, we're handling it."

"Do you want me to call a nurse?"

Jun stilled as quickly as she had started. A second later she was up and looking around blearily, as if she had just taken a nap.

"Let's go." Hiei said, appearing out of nowhere and ignoring the simpering females (Jun's experience did not stop her from being Jun).

They retrieved Yurika from behind the trashcans (she was able to come out to meet them) and were on either way to Genkai's temple. Hiei seemed anxious. He walked with them, but would make snide comments about their speed every so often. He kept glaring at Yurika and Kurama was sure that they were having conversations in their heads. Finally, Kurama heard the voice he had been waiting for.

**Listen up, fox.**

_Yes?_

**You're staying at Genkai's tonight. After dinner, go out into the forest and hide yourself; make sure the girl doesn't sense you. **

_What's going on?_

**Just do it.**



Yurika heard them coming, and stepped out from behind the trashcans; lamenting, slightly as she did so, about how far she had fallen. Kuwabara was (once again) carrying Jun. She gave slight consideration to glaring at both of them, but she had more important things on her mind and the sight of Jun just added more trouble to her mind. She fell into step behind her 'protectors' and they walked in utter silence.

As she walked Yurika looked at the ground, the gray cement, watching as glittering lights too small for humans to see fully danced from the reflection of the sun. Feeling eyes on her, Yurika raised her head and met Hiei's eyes. He was not glaring at her exactly, just putting enough emotion into his eyes to warn her no to go back on her promise. She pulled a face at him before quickly pulling her mask back up, before any of the others noticed.

_You'll get your answers, Hiei._

**I'd better.**

_I may be a lot of things, but a liar I am not._

**If you were a liar you could say the exact same thing; remember, I'm not above dragging you out of the temple kicking and screaming.**

_I am above killing you, but I would have no quarrels of taking off a finger or two. _

**Hn. Whatever, just meet me tonight after dinner, so the two idiots don't think anything's up. Just don't think about slipping through the cracks; you won't get far with a lighting demon and a hurt child.**

_We __**will**__ meet tonight._

**A.N: I think this update came as fast as it could come. Okay, little remembering to be done: in chapter seven, Reseph tell Yurika that Morrio is dead. In chapter eight, we learn Yurika's story, which is what she is talking about here. Finally, Okanan is the name of Yurika's mother, who was betrayed by her lover and went insane.**


	18. Chapter 17

**A/N: Sigh… this weather must be getting to me… no drive for writing…. I need some inspiration…**

**Anyone know about any inspirational/blood-pumping/good songs? NO RAP and preferably no pop. I rather listen to rock any day of the week.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yuyu Hakusho, but if you give me a song I'll give you some false hope.**

The overhead fluorescent light buzzed irritatingly in the silence of the meal. Genkai, Yukina, Jun, Kurama and (surprisingly) Yurika sat at the round table, like King Author's knights, eating silently from their dishes, no one making an attempt at conversation. Hiei stood in a corner, ignoring the food and the others, though occasionally he would take a moment to send a glare Yurika's way. Unfortunately for him, she kept her back pointedly at him.

Yukina tried and failed several times to begin conversation, but was only responded to when she talked to a single person, and often it was a mono-syllable response. Finally, she sighed and began to drink her tea, the room lapsing back into its normal silence.

As if some unknown signal was given, Yurika suddenly pushed back her chair and stood. "Thank you for the meal, Genkai. And the book," she added as an afterthought, "has been extremely helpful."

Genkai gave a sharp nod, her eyes wide and alert, as if she were waiting for something to happen.

Yurika turned (presumably to go back to her room), but Hiei was there. He was not exactly blocking her way, but he finally got his chance to catch her eyes and glare at her; Kurama could not see what she did back, but she moved on.

A few minutes later, as Kurama moved to help Yukina clear the dishes, Genkai dumped her plate, cup and silverware into the sink. She stomped out of the room, leaving two confused people after her.

**It's time, Kurama. **Hiei's voice said. **Let's go.**

Ready for answers, Kurama politely excused himself to Yukina, who nodded and silently went back to doing the dishes, and strode out the door. He found both Hiei and Genkai in the foyer. Hiei nodded to him and waked out of temple. Genkai did not even look at him as she followed.

They did not walk very far into the forest when Hiei turned abruptly and said to Kurama, "Get in the tree."

"What?" Kruama asked, confused. Why in the seven hells did Hiei want him to climb into a tree?

"So you're not seen," Kurama had the distinct impression that had Hiei not had such good self-control, he would have sounded exasperated.

Kurama sighed through his nose and easily lifted himself into the tree, hiding himself among the branches of oddly golden leaves. As he settled, he heard a crackling of leaves in the distance, though he doubted either Hiei or Genkai could. Less than ten seconds later, he saw Hiei move slightly, and knew he had heard. Genkai gave no sign that she had been able to hear the sounds of someone moving in her forest, even when the person was only a few feet away (though still out of sight).

Yurika entered the clearing, slinking out of the shadows like a cat. Before he knew what he was doing, Kurama was wrinkling his nose in distaste, courtesy of Youko. He quickly shoved the fox to the back of his mind to listen to the demons and human below him.

Yurika nodded towards Genaki, "I'm not surprised you are here."

Genaki nodded, her hands still clasped behind her back, "I can't imagine that you would be."

Yurika cast her eyes down, "I'm glad neither of you brought Kurama. I don't want him to know about what I'm about to say." She looked up, her eyes not hard, but warning against telling Kurama anything.

Genkai managed a jerking nod, Hiei a mildly interested stare. Yurika was quiet for a moment, and Kurama noticed her hand trailing to a lock of hair that had escaped her ponytail, to fiddle with it for a moment. She was lightly chewing on her bottom lip. Kurama (or at least the very disgruntled Youko) realized with a jolt that this was the same look she gave him when she was thinking really hard.

Or when she had some inner turmoil.

Finally, Yurika began to speak.



"In the past, Kurama's other half and I were… really good friends," Yurika began, unsure. Hiei snorted and Yurika looked up at him angrily. "Not _that_ kind of friend, Hiei. Anyway, I often waited for one of his hawks near a lake in my home valley; I was out alone one day waiting for him when I was attacked… by my mother."

"That is not uncommon," Genkai said with a shrug.

"I am the heir to the Isei family and its curse," Yurika stated emotionlessly.

"Ah. That is." Genkai conceded.

Yurika felt her muscle in her arm twitch slightly. "She pressed a curse on me, but I was too young and in too much pain to do anything about it. It's not an excuse and I know that; I've suffered for it over the years. All I know is that any emotion I feel too strongly, pains me deeply… it feels as if my arm has been set aflame and that the bone is rotting. That is the best way I can describe it."

"You don't need to go any farther," Genaki said quickly. Yurika looked up and was surprised to see that Genakai's eyes were filled with what one could call sympathy. Nodding slightly, Yurika went of.

"My family condemned me, fearing for their own lives. I stayed nearby, though. I was waiting for Youko to come back." Yurika felt a burning in the back of her eyes, and mentally cursed herself for her weakness. She looked away, concentrating on the purple leaves of a nearby tree. "I fell in love with him, and I was too cowardly to face the pain. But that was not the real reason, I only thought of that after the fact. I left because… I knew that it would break my heart every day to know that I would never be able to be with him, for I would not allow it; I knew he did not deserve this curse and I did not deserve him."

"Hn. You are still a coward," Hiei stated.

Before he could get any farther, Yurika smiled bitterly. "I told myself that every day of the past sixty years."

Hiei was, unsurprisingly, silent.

Yurika, her chest tightening and the pain radiating from her arm nigh unbearable, focused her eyes and said in a rush, "To break this curse, I must do something. My mother, in a brief moment of either sanity or sadistic humor, told me how to break it. But I was nearly unconscious at the time. I'm going to need help, to access my memories." She stared at Hiei. "Will you do it?"

Hiei returned her stare for a moment, and then replied slowly, "We are not enemies, and we are not friends. Do not expect me to do this kind of favor all of the time."

Yurika bowed her head, "I am in your debt." She turned her attention to Genkai. "Now that you know, I will ask you; will you guide us?"

Genkai huffed, "Well .I suppose if you ask like that I have no choice, besides what kind of trainer would I be if I didn't help someone out once and awhile?"

Yurika allowed herself a small smile, "Thank you, both of you."

Genkai was at her arm in an instant, pulling her along the path, "Let's go, just because you and the fire demon deicide to meet in the dead of night like vampires doesn't mean you don't have to go to school tomorrow."



Kurama sat in the boughs of the tree, trembling slightly. His breath came in short, but he was able to keep it unseen by Hiei as he climbed down.

"So," he said quietly.

"Hn." Hiei replied in his usual before disappearing into the night.

Utterly alone, Kurama sank to his knees, burying his face in his hands. Yurika had saved him. Stupid, self-sacrificing, divine Yurika had been slowly killing herself over the sixty years to save him the trouble.

Or maybe it had been in the beginning, that first night she had ran him of, away from her and the pain she thought she would bring him.

Little did she know that his heart had been torn to shreds in that instant as well.

**A/N: Review!**


	19. Chapter 18

**A/N: Read below if you are interested in a Hiei story!**

**I know that a lot of people may or may not like this story, but I'm starting another one that I think a lot of people will really enjoy. It's called Her Silent Scream (title is subject to change, however) and it is centered around Hiei and yet another OC (no this story and that story are not related) and here's the summary:**

**Thieves have stolen priceless artifacts, impersonating the gang! They are able to clear their names in the Spirit World (though not the demon world), but the thieves move to the human world, they aren't safe in their own homes. When the gang is forced to take refuge with Yusuke's odd cousin and violent uncle, can they save more than themselves****?**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yuyu Hakusho; if I did, there would still be episodes on at normal hours of the day.**

"Hey, Rika. You find anything yet?" Reseph called from his place in the hearth.

"No," Yurika growled, "don't call me Rika."

"You used to like it."

Yurika's head snapped up, and she hissed through gritted teeth, "It brings up unpleasant memories."

Reseph closed his eyes, yawning as if there was not a very dangerous demon in the room with him. Finally, after Yurika had turned her head back to the paper (though for all she could concentrate on them, she might as well have not) Respeh decided to speak again.

"You know, I think it brings up very good memories, it's just that you can't deal with them."

_Shiing_

A dagger pierced through Reseph's forehead. He yelped in surprise. A fiery tendril reached out from the main mass and quickly became a dark-skinned hand. Tenderly the fingers touched his flamed forehead.

"You can't always solve problems by throwing daggers at them," he said quietly.

To his surprise, Yurika responded with a soft, "Maybe that's the only way I know how."

Reseph drew back into himself, leaving them in silence. He'd watch the young demoness wile away her years in a secluded castle. It had pained him, watching her, especially because he had watched her long before the she was cursed with the mark.

Morrio had shown interest in his half-sister before she knew about him. He claimed that she had special powers that were beyond either of theirs. Reseph, at the time, had been one of the few demons that Morrio had kept alive from his father's rule. Together, he and Morrio watched over Yurika, and when she left, Reseph followed. He never bothered to tell Morrio why Yurika was so much more powerful than him.

This was as close as she had ever come to admitting a weakness. Reseph felt his fiery bowels churn and warm. It was demoralizing to see such a young and bright (though only in her own mind did that brightness show) demoness, in her prime, admit to such a weakness. But there was something else to that warmness Reseph was feeling.

It was pride.



Genkai sat at the abandoned kitchen table late into the night, sipping her tea. This was a very interesting situation she was in. A young demoness pushes away the one she loves to keep him safe, breaking his heart. After being reunited, she continues to be cold towards him and him towards her. He finally finds out the truth, and the demoness is ready to leave the moment she has the book she needs and the solution to the ailment that is tearing them apart. It was better than a soap opera.

She sobered.

The book Yurika needed was rare; she would have to contact old friends to find it. As soon as Hiei helped Yurika to realize her mother's curse, hell would break loose. Genaki had played the game long enough to know once that card was turned, urgent business would need to be addressed.

Decisions would have to be made.

Relationships tested.

Tears to cry for the lost.

Genkai sipped her tea.



"Get up girl! It's time for school!"

Yurika blinked her eyes against the light coming in from the windows. Genkai's scratchy voice called out to her once more before sounds of receding steps could be heard. She groaned a little and lifted herself from the floor. She spared a look at Kato, and the breath caught in her throat. His eyes were open and watching her. She was at his side in an instant.

"Kato? Kato, can you hear me?" Yurika asked urgently.

The boy nodded, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you, Miss Yurika."

Yurika smiled tightly, her eyes pooling slightly, "Kato, it is fine. It's not your fault, and we're going to get help for you."

Kato nodded and Yurika watched as he slowly fell asleep. She felt slight relief that Kato was awake; that, at least, was a good sign. Or it could be a bad sign. A very bad sign. Yurika felt a chill go through her and made a quick decision.

"Yurika!"

"I'm coming!" Yurika called back agitatedly.

She quickly threw on the hated school uniform and grabbed the bag that she was using for the books for school. She spared one last look at Kato before leaving.

From now on, Kato would come before her curse.

**A/N: I know it took forever, but I have maybe an hour a night to work on 14 stories, not to mention the stories I was to get published (which, yes, they are a lot better than this one).**


	20. Chapter 19

**A/N: Hi everyone! Did anyone check out my Hiei story?**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yuyu Hakusho. **

Yurika bounced her leg rapidly and drummed her fingers on the desk. She was glaring at the clock with an accusatory glare that Kurama could not remember seeing on her face in quite awhile. Kurama gently reached over and put his hand over hers and was about to say something comforting when Yurika stiffened.

He remembered that he was not supposed to hear what he had the night before. To save face, he would have to act the part of a concerned colleague; something in him detested his new role.

"Yurika, calm down. We just got here."

Yurika surreptitiously moved her hand from beneath his and nodded distractedly. "Yeah I know." She slid her eyes to meet his, "I don't suppose humans ever jump out of the window to skip class?"

Despite himself, Kurama chuckled. "No I don't think so."

Yurika snorted derisively. "Damn humans; they lack imagination to think up such a plan."

Kurama nearly chuckled; she was beginning to sound a bit less hostile to him. "It is…" he began, only to be cut off a moment later.

"Isei!"

Yurika did not seem to notice the calling of her name as she doodled in her notebook.

"Isei!"

"Erm… Yurika…" Kurama said uncertainly; this was the closest thing that he and Yurika come to peace in awhile, not including the trip to the Maki, but the teacher was now practically on top of them, trying to get Yurika's attention.

_If he touches the girl, go for the throat. _

_What?_

_If the human touches Yurika, go after his throat. He'll die soundlessly then._

_What in the seven hells are you talking about?_

The fox uttered only a low growl that resonated throughout the boy's mind as the teacher drew closer. He shouted out Yurika's name one last time before she noticed that an angry ningen was upon her. She looked up at him dispassionately.

"Were you calling for me?"

A vein in the man's forehead throbbed dangerously, giving Kurama the distinct impression that if he became any more stressed, he would have a stroke on the spot. "For five minutes," he grit out.

Yurika shrugged flippantly waving a hand, dismissing the matter. "I am not used to being called by my last name. What did you want?" she asked, though to Kurama's ears it sounded as if she was ordering him to speak like a dog.

"You've been called to the office; someone in your family is here," the teacher replied, obviously disconcerted by her commanding tone.

"My family?" Yurika repeated questioningly. She spared a side-glance at Kurama, once again trying to communicate something that he could not quite understand, before she took the pass offered by the teacher.

As she left, Kurama put his arm into the air, waving it urgently. He eventually gained the attention of the teacher, three minutes after what was a comfortable time. The instructor glared at him, but Kurama ignored the heated look.

"Can I go to the bathroom?" Had he not been in such a rush, Kurama might have been embarrassed by his outburst as well as the giggling girls around him.

A few moments later, Kurama was rushing down the hall, using all the fox speed he possessed to make it down the corridors to the office. He slowed himself as he got to the hall and quietly walked to the door. He flattened himself against the wall and peered through the small glass window in the door.

He could see Yurika, who was looking at the far wall disinterestedly. A large man was smiling and conversing happily with the woman behind the desk. If he concentrated, Kurama could easily see small horns dotting the man's head under an illusion. Jun was nervously eyeing the large man, who had his hand on her shoulder.

Kurama frowned and sent a mental link to Hiei to warn the others. As the three began walking towards the door he was hiding at, Kurama quickly slipped behind another wall. When he was sure he had given them a sufficient amount of time to get out the door, he followed them, ducking only once to avoid detection by the office secretary.

He followed the group for a few blocks before something happened. He narrowed his eyes. He could see red skin and several horns dotting the man's head. As far as he could see, the demon had a very low level of power; he would be easily defeated if it came to combat. Of course, Kurama would follow protocol and ask politely for papers before jumping to any conclusions. However, Kurama's instincts (as well as the demon within him) were screaming to kill him quickly.

The group stopped and Jun spoke with the man, seeming to be totally ignorant to the fact that both she and Yurika were probably being kidnapped, and with their powers temporarily taken from them, they were too close to defenseless for comfort. Yurika appeared to have said something, and was slapped across the face by the large man's hand.

Kurama was moving before he had a chance to realize what he was doing. He knocked the man to the ground and stepped in the same movement, placed his body in front of Yurika. He was only vaguely aware of Jun standing off to the side, but his focus remained on keeping the dark-haired girl behind him safe.

He did not bother asking for the demon's identification, choosing instead to quickly cut a deep, razor-thin slash across the demon's throat with the plant that he always kept tucked discreetly behind his ear. A pair of hands reached out and grabbed the man's arm and Kurama reacted once again, grabbing the other arm and helping Yurika pull the man behind the apartment.

Setting the dying demon down, Yurika inspected Kurama's work. He felt oddly self-conscious. She cocked her head, contemplating. "Nice work. Clean cut to the throat, not a drop of blood spilt on the ground." She looked up at him, crimson eyes wide. "I knew what you were going to do. I reacted and we worked together."

Kurama smiled at her, and immediately wished he had not. The corner of her mouth twitched in a suppressed smile before she grunted lightly. She fell to the ground, gasping and clutching at her arm. Kurama was immediately on his knees next to her, willing to comfort her, but found that he had no idea what to say.

"Da—damn it," Yurika gritted painfully. Her hand was clamped over her arm in a vice-like grip. She was putting so much pressure on it that Kurama, sure that she was hurting herself, was tempted to remove it.

A moment later he turned around to see Hiei standing behind him, looking down on Yurika indifferently. Yurika took a few deep breaths before standing. She gazed around the group with as much guilt as one of her character could muster.

"Sorry. Let's go," she said shortly. She turned on her heel and began walking up the street towards Genkai's temple.

Jun looked to Kurama and Hiei, smiling far too sweetly for either of their tastes. As she began to talk, prattling on about some mundane thing or another, Kurama could hear Hiei's voice echoing in his head.

**Get rid of the brat. **

Kurama smiled genially at the young woman. "Jun, would you mind going ahead? Hiei and I have to talk about something."

Jun's smiling face fell, and she pouted sullenly (_I wonder how many times that actually worked before. _Kurama thought). "Well what are you going to talk about?" She adopted an air of superiority that Kurama recognized in junior high school students. "I was just kidnapped and I want to know what my bodyguards are talking about."

Before Kurama could think of a response to Jun's newfound authority, Hiei stepped forward. "Leave."

Jun wilted beneath Hiei's gaze. She looked to Kurama for support, but he simply smiled and waved. She hesitated for a moment longer, glaring at both of the demons in front of her. When she received no reaction from either, she left with a huff.

_Well, that was certainly an interesting mood swing. _Kurama thought before turning to Hiei with a frown. "You really should not loose your temper with Jun like that; she'll begin to think you're biased." He had meant to take on a light tone at the end, but his tone stayed as neutral as ever.

"Hn. I am."

Hiei's words shocked Kurama; when Yurika first emerged in Koenma's office, he had expected most of the team would not even like her, least of Hiei. Even as a he realized (albeit a bit enviously, he would admit to himself) that Hiei and Yurika had some sort of understanding of each other, he doubted either would call each other 'friend'. Still, she should be just another case that he grudgingly accepted for Hiei. Why had that changed?

"Nothing's changed between me and the woman," Hiei said brashly, as if reading his thoughts (which was, in all actuality, likely). "It's just the girl. She's not right."

Kurama nodded, as if agreeing. He knew that if he was not tactful, he would not get any information out of Hiei. Mentally, he frowned. When had he become someone on the outside? It seemed as if that was all he was lately. And why not? They were not going on missions anymore, so his quick wit was unneeded. He was strong enough to defend both Jun and Yurika (especially since the latter seemed to be able to take care of herself), but so were the other members of the teams.

So what was he?

**A/N: Okay, no one had reviewed for three chapters. I know it hasn't been great, but what's up?**


	21. Chapter 20

**A/N: Hi!**

**Disclaimer: No one on fanfiction owns Yuyu Hakusho!!!!!**

"Kuwabara!" Jun screeched loudly.

Kurama, Yurika and Hiei, with their advanced hearing, winced. The boys had gathered in the living room of Genkai's temple, Yusuke and Kuwabara needing Kurama's help with homework. Hiei stayed simply because he had taken up residency in the quiet house, and Yurika… well she could not stand the guilt of being in the same room as the sleeping and obviously in pain Kato.

"Ye… Yes?" Kuwabara asked timidly, obviously off put from Jun's shrill tone.

"I want you to beat them up," she pointed to Hiei and Kurama expectantly.

A small flash of fear crossed Kuwabara's face. Yusuke started laughing hysterically, Kurama chuckled and even Hiei cracked a smile. To ask Kuwabara to beat up Hiei and Kurama was like asking a gazelle to take down a lion.

Kurama, hiding his smile politely behind a hand, asked Jun, "And may I ask what we did to warrant this displeasure?"

Jun wrinkled her nose at him, fury flashing across her face. "You two are always blowing me off and pushing me away! Last week I wanted to go back to the demon world to try to find some of my things and you," she pointed at Hiei, "wouldn't even hear me out! Then both this week and last week you," her finger now pointed to Kurama, "kept disappearing and wouldn't tell me why. You're all supposed to be my body guards, which means you work for me."

Her diatribe finished, Jun spun back around. Her voce dripping with sugar, "So now I want you to hurt them, to let them know they should listen to me like you do."

"I… er… I can't…"

"What?" Jun said dangerously, her face darkening. She took a step towards Kuwabara, her hands clenched. "I _want_ you to do this for me."

"Shut up, will you?" Yurika suddenly piped up.

Jun laughed superiorly as she rounded on Yurika. "So now you talk?"

Jun took two steps closer to her dark cousin, hips swaying. The boys tensed. This could end very badly. As Jun advanced, Yurika looked at her blankly; only Hiei and Kurama noticed the brief twitch in her arm.

"You haven't said more than two words to me this entire time! I'm your cousin, you should like me." Jun crossed her arms under her amply breasts and smiled smugly. "Besides, all of my other cousins always were very nice to me because I'm supposed to be the future leader of our family."

Silently, Yurika stood. Surreptitiously, the boys prepared to pounce on her should she decide to attack Jun. However, all she wished to do is talk.

"You want to be the leader of your family of one? Fine." Cold crept into Yurika's voice, "But you should know, had I been a part of the family, those would have been fighting words."

"wh… What?" asked Jun, her lower lip trembling slightly.

Yurika smiled cruelly. "Oh yes, people have died for less than that. And not just any people. Your own cousins have murdered each other to gain that title." Yurika drew back and sighed heavily. "And look at what it led to."

She spread her arms and did a three-hundred and sixty circle. As she spoke, she stared at the floor. "The only two remaining of the family left stranded in the human world without powers, one can't fend for herself and one doesn't want to."

That being said, Yurika gathered up her double swords and left the room. Jun was quiet for a long time after that.



Three days later, as the boys were walking out of the school, they noticed Jun talking to one of their classmates. Surprisingly enough, when they walked closer, they were able to see that it was Taki, a boy that had bothered them the first day they brought Jun and Yurika to school, nearly two weeks ago. Jun smiled and touched her white hair often. Every once and awhile, she would lightly push Taki and laugh. She was flirting.

Before the boys managed to get to Jun, Taki noticed them coming and gave her a small piece of paper and stalked away. Kuwabara, Yusuke and Kurama exchanged a glance. Jun seemed to notice them out of the corner of her eye, and beamed at them.

"Hi guys!"

"Uh… Jun… what was with that?"

"What?" Jun asked innocently, something in her tone hinting that she knew exactly what he was talking about.

Kuwabara hung his head in defeat, sighing. There was suddenly a ripple of realization through the boys; where was Yurika? Was she in trouble? With who? With these thoughts moving slightly more frantically across Kurama's mind he stepped forward, in front of Kuwabara.

"Jun, have you seen Yurika?" he asked politely, but urgently.

Jun seemed thoughtful for a moment, and then flippantly waved her hand. "No."

As she drew her wrist back towards her, Kurama reached out and took a firm hold of it, glaring at her intensely and ignoring the startled gasp and the wince of pain she gave. "Jun, we are not here to be your calling boys. We are not here to entertain you. We are here to protect you and Yurika," he tightened his grip, "where is she?"

Jun continued to try to pull away as she replied crossly, "She ran out to where we always go." When Kurama released her, Jun backed away, rubbing her wrist. She muttered, "I don't see why; the pain isn't even there anymore."

The boys looked at each other, having one of those rare moments of having the ability to be thinking the same thing: we'll talk to Koenma later. Then they ran off to find Yurika.

**A/N: I know that it's getting dull and the updates are few and far in between. Please bear with me.**

**Review!**


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